LAG
Towing's contract mandates that it must "tow, free of charge, any vehicles
owned by any victim of any crime." But The Citizens Voice found 10
instances in which customers paid to recover cars that were documented by the
company as being stolen.
LAG
Towing owner Leo Glodzik III said Wednesday that he could explain every case,
but he was short on specifics.
- Of course he was, he makes it up as he goes along.
"I'm
telling you how it is, there is not a person that has a stolen car that was a
victim of a crime who was charged by me," Glodzik said.
- Except that 83 year old women who LAG extorted the title from, Oh ya and the 10 or so the papers caught them with.
Nancy Hooker, a 29-year-old Wilkes-Barre resident, said she had to pay
$500 to retrieve her stolen car last April. Her car was recovered in
Wilkes-Barre Township. LAG told her the rule preventing victims from being
billed didn't apply if the car was found outside the city.
But per the Time Leader reported, Charlotte and Bryan Schmidt, of Wilkes-Barre said Glodzik required
them to pay $245 to reclaim their 2006 Chrysler minivan that was stolen on Sept. 25,
2010 from the parking lot of the City Heights apartment complex on North
Sherman Street. The car was recovered on Park Avenue about four hours after
they reported it stolen, said Bryan Schmidt. They immediately went to LAG’s lot
on Carey Avenue in Wilkes-Barre to reclaim it and were told they owed $145 for
the tow and $100 for storage, he said.
- Hum stolen in Wilkes Barre, Recovered in Wilkes Barre, Yet charged as a Victim of Crime???
"The
only way I found out the towing company had my car (was) because the day after
they recovered my car, it was on the front page of the newspaper," Hooker
said.
- Oh no the police and Leo didn’t call them either???
"I
can't assume or speculate," Leighton said. "I have the police
department pulling those files."
- What you mean to say Your Lordship is, you’re not going to do a darn thing so suck it up!
Leighton
also said Glodzik told him customers must provide a copy of a police report to
prove the car was stolen.
However,
Paul Falzone, owner of Falzone Towing, said he doesn't require that paperwork.
Falzone tows cars for Hanover Township and also does not charge victims of a
crime. "The victim just has to show up with proof of ownership,"
Falzone said. "Once the vehicle is released pending processing, the
vehicle is returned to the rightful owner."
- It should also be noted that Wilkes Barre Police Department WILL NOT provide anyone with a report on an OPEN investigation.
City
Spokesmen Drew Mc-Laugh-Lin said city officials were unable to immediately
confirm the Schmidts’ claims because police reports in 2010 were not
computerized.
- WAIT, What are you talking about Drew: Back in 2008 the city applied for and received TWO grants to buy a NEW RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM called Total Enforcement.
- Are you telling me that after all the reports the Police Chief sent in, stating this records management systems works great, it’s not working at all????
"I
don't defend any of our vendors, but I have to live by what the contract
says," Leighton said.
- Um what? If that were even remotely true, you would have terminated this one, back when Leo LIED to Judge Gelb…
"You
can't just terminate the guy's contract unless you have a legitimate
reason," Leighton said. "It's gotta be something we feel has hampered
the city." Leighton said simply failing to keep receipts was not enough to
fire the company. "Him
not having receipts isn't affecting the way I'm running the city or the way the
police department operates," Leighton said. "I'm concerned with the
service he provides, how he treats people and if his charges are in line with
other companies."
Council
chairman Bill Barrett said he believes failing to keep receipts would be
sufficient grounds for termination. However, Barrett said he'd like to see hard
evidence of any wrongdoing before he would second a motion to recommend LAG
Towing's firing. "You'd
need to tell me what was violated and how it was violated," Barrett said.
Bill
pull you head out of the King’s backside long enough to get this:
- LAG didn’t file the proper paperwork with the state
- LAG charged storage fees without notifying the owners
- LAG violated his contract when he charged victims of crime
Under
the state motor vehicle code, any tower or salvager who takes possession of an
abandoned vehicle must file the required form with PennDOT within 48 hours.
Anyone who violates the law could be charged with a summary offense.
- Wake Up Billy, if you wanted to fire LAG, you have more than enough reason, but the TRUTH is you do what The King tells you to do, and always have.
LAG
Towing also did not submit any of the necessary forms to tow and possess
abandoned vehicles to the state in 2012, according Jan McKnight, spokeswoman
with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. She said the company
submitted the forms in 2011 but would not say how many without a Right-to-Know
request.
- So Ms. McKnight when Mark Robbins requested this same information, your office responded with “we have 998 abandoned vehicle applications, and you will need to send $5.00 per copy.” ARE YOU NUTZ? Asking a private citizen to pay $4,990 to investigate an Auto Theft Ring!!!
"Instead
of filling out all the paperwork, I contact people and make a deal
myself," Glodzik said.
- I think what Leo means here is, He contacts the people and extorts the title, like the 83 year old woman, that’s the deal he makes himself.
The
state Motor Vehicle Code requires towing companies to file a report with
PennDOT within 48 hours of taking an abandoned vehicle into their possession.
LAG Towing's contract requires it to "comply, at all times," with
that code, along with all federal, state, and local laws.
McKnight
said PennDOT has NOT sanctioned LAG Towing and declined to say if any sanctions
were being considered.
- Wake Up McKnight you know as well as I do, PennDot will do NOTHING, as they have already been told not to.
Wake Up
Wilkes Barre
Source:
- Records show violation of W-B towing contract
- No forms may be problem for tower
- LAG Towing investigation criticized
- More claim they were hooked
- Total Un-Enforcement
Can anyone tell me what the case is when your insurance company pays the bill to recover a stolen vehicle? My car was stolen after my home was robbed and they got my car keys along with the other items they took. It was found several days later and towed by LAG. Sat in the lot for a week waiting for the detective to fingerprint it and release it. The bill included the impouding fees for the days it sat there. My insurance company paid the bill without batting an eyelash. Was this legit? Is it not insurance fraud? There is more to this story but it does not involve LAG, it involves the WBPD.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the City contract with LAG you nor your insurance company should have been charged, as you were a victim of crime..... Do you have a copy of the bill???? Or can you get it from your insurance co? this is real important.
DeleteWhile looking for a answer to azure's question. Is the no charge just for City towers or is that a standard rule??
ReplyDeleteThere looks to be no state rule or law regarding this, but it is in LAG's contract with the City not to charge victims of crime, so it would seem that LAG violated his contract once again by charging the insurance company of azure281.
Delete