In May 2024, I was driving my boyfriend's van when it broke down at a local convenience store. The owner of the store had it towed the next morning because he said it was blocking his diesel pump. It wasn't, but that isn't the issue here. The issue is that he called C'Ray Towing to do the job. They did a fine job of towing the vehicle from all reports; it's what they did afterwards that is shady & illegal.
I contacted C'Ray towing the day after the vehicle was towed & was told it would be $450 that day or $50 a day additionally thereafter. That is highway robbery but isn't illegal. I was worried already about how I was going to pay to have the van repaired & now I had to at least another $450 to conjure up to get the van back! The van isn't worth more than $500 so my boyfriend was prepared to let it go. After 30 days, the van would belong to C'Ray Towing.
I contacted C'ray Towing on the 6th day after the van was towed & requested to get personal belongings out of the van. I was told that I would need to come Monday - Friday between 8 am & 5 pm. My boyfriend & I showed up at the address listed as C'Ray's Towing's address on Google on Tuesday, the 8th day after towing at 8:30 am. The address is a residential home with no signage claiming to be C'Ray's Towing, no person there to conduct business for C'Ray's Towing & no tow yard. We left & called them. We were told to bring this person the title to the van & the key to the van & then we would be allowed to retrieve our personal belongings from the van. He didn't then or ever, on the phone or through notification by mail or email, tell us the location of the van. That is illegal. To deny us the chance to retrieve our belongings is also illegal, as is his request for the title & key in exchange for letting us get our belongings.
I called C'Ray's towing about 5 days before the 30 day period was up. I asked to be allowed to retrieve my belongings from the van & said that I wasn't the owner of the van & had nothing to do with the tow fees, storage fees, etc. The man said if I brought the title & key he would let me get my things. I told him the van does not belong to me; how can I bring you the title & the key? He didn't answer me. I then told him my boyfriend was willing to pay the towing fee to get the van back. After all, what does it cost the tow company to have it sitting in their tow yard? Nothing. He said he would run it by his boss & let me know. I never heard back from them.
I find it shady that they do not have a proper business address listed anywhere to let you know where your vehicle is being stored or where to go to retrieve your personal belongings. That is also illegal, by the way. I also cannot believe the arrogance of a business owner to flaunt the law in the way this company did by expressly not allowing either myself or my boyfriend retrieve our personal belongings from the van. It is the law that we be allowed to do so. However, if one does not even know where the vehicle is being stored how can one pursue the issue? Then to further aggravate the situation, we are offered what amounts to a bribe, bring the title & the key to the van, & then we can get our things. Sure, we can then get our things which we should be able to get anyway? I do not think so.
I was told by my lawyer that this is a civil matter & not a criminal one. So we do not have the option to go to the police about any of this. We could take C'Ray's Towing to small claims court for the amount of money our personal belongings are worth. This would only cost us more money & take goodness only knows how long. I need every penny I can get to buy another vehicle, at this point.
If you have to deal with C'Ray's Towing, I can only say that I hope it is you who calls to have them tow something because if you are on the other end of the stick, you are about to get screwed.
8/24 - They got the van & everything in it & now my boyfriend can't cancel the insurance because we don't have the tag! I would give C'Ray's Towing a big fat 0 if I could! read more