KDKA Investigation: City To Propose New Protections Against Predatory Towing

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Who among us hasn't done it? Parked in one business' parking lot and gone across the street to another. The unlucky have returned to find that their cars have been towed away.

While business owners say its necessary to keep their lots clear for their own customers, those who've had their vehicle towed say its predatory and traumatic.

"This is really unbelievable. I've never been through anything like this in my whole life," said Audrey Griffin, whose mother recently had her car towed.

This week, KDKA showed you how some towing companies lie in wait in nearby alleyways, ready to pounce, and are charging hundreds of dollars just to give the car back, off the hook.

A Pittsburgh-area attorney has now filed class action suits against one towing company for charging a woman $200 to get her car back, when a city ordinance limits fees to $135. But that city law has faced legal challenges in the past, has rarely been enforced, and it's fate in court is unclear.

In the meantime, Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto's administration said on Tuesday that it's forging a new one.

"We are committed to getting a law on the books that protects residents," said Dan Gilman, the mayor's chief-of-staff.

After years of trying to regulate towing in the city, Gilman says he'll be forwarding new legislation, balancing the rights of citizens and the property owners.

"As a private property owner, if you've invested in a parking lot, certainly, it makes sense that you want to protect that for your costumers. I understand that," he says. "But, if it's 10 o'clock at night, and you have 30 spaces, and 28 are open, and someone leaves for five minutes, is that really hurting your business?"

Gilman says the new bill will be introduce in the next few weeks and will have reasonable protection for residents.

"Maybe you require the manager of the business to sign off on the tow, or you require police to sign off on the tow," he said.