Complaint Review:
A-1 Recovery Incorporated
A-1 Recovery Incorporated are thieves St Petersburg, Florida
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A-1 Recovery Incorporated
2221 5th Ave S
St Petersburg, Florida
United States of America
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727-323-8515
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On March 6th, 2012 my semi truck was parked at Plaza 66 in Pinellas Park, in the back and out of the way. I had the written permission from the different store managers and the property manager. I was told that it was ok so long as I parked the truck out of the way and not blocking other trucks. This had been going on for three months with no problem, except for the truck being stolen last month. On March 6th I went to my truck and started my truck to run the ac and warm the engine because I would be leaving in about an hour or two. I then grabbed some stuff out of the truck locked the doors and went home. About an hour later my wife called me and said the truck was gone again. I found out from calling the police that the truck had been impounded by A-1 Recovery. I called them and told them that I had written permission to park there. The guy who claimed to be the owner (Erik or Aron) told me he was told by the property manager to remove my truck and that it would cost me $620 to get it back. I told him again that I had written permission from the store managers and the property manager because it was a requirement of the company I am leasing the truck from. He just told me he had a contract to tow the truck away signed by the property manager and thats what he did. When I spoke with the property manager I was told that the tow company called them and asked for permission to remove the truck.
I had to call my company and get approval to give them a T check for the release. I tried to give them the check but they refused it. They said it had to be cash. I told them my company was not going to issue me a check to get the truck out of impound but the check was already approved to issue to them. They still told me it all they would accept was cash. So I had to pay for it myself. I left my wife and father in law at the business while I went to the bank and pulled out money. When I returned I was talking to the guy behind the counter and he was being really rude and cutting us off and not letting us speak. When my wife said something to him he got real nasty and I snapped back at him. I have a very short temper and this guy was making me mad disrespecting my wife. He started screaming at me and told me to get off the property or he would call the police. This continued for a little while and finally I called the police myself. They just told me they don't come out for this sort of thing? I also called consumer protection and they said they would send out an investigator because they heard the conversation in the background. Any way they would not allow me to go on the property to see my truck or get my checks out. My wife had to pay for the truck and my father in law had to drive the truck out. He has no experience in a truck and doesn't have a class A license. So I find it interesting that they would release the truck to someone who is not the owner (my wife) and would allow someone who is not licensed to drive a truck that big (my father in law). They didn't issue a receipt so I have nothing to show for it and I won't get reimbursed by my company. I later found out that I may have been overcharged for it but I have no receipt to dispute it with. This company is a ripoff. If your legit you give your customers a receipt.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Robert
Irvine,California,
U.S.A.
Really?
#2Consumer Comment
Fri, March 09, 2012
When I spoke with the property manager I was told that the tow company called them and asked for permission to remove the truck.
- It sounds like the Property Manager got tired of you parking there and wanted you towed. I do imagine that there is a lot more to this story. But since it is a Class A, most likely the amount of the tow is valid. The only issue you may have is them accepting only cash and not providing a receipt.
As a side note, and maybe why the Property Manager wanted you towed, is the fact that you left the truck running unattended. I do not know if commercial vehicles have different regulations for this, but for regular vehicles it is actually illegal in most jurisdictions to leave a car running that is unattended. But illegal or not, it seems very stupid because all it would take is semi-knowledgeable thief to pop the lock and they would be off. Not only that but if any thing happened(such as it somehow slipped into gear) you would be 100% responsible for any damage. Where I doubt you would find just about every insurance company refusing to pay because it would be considered negligent.