Tennessee
Last nite I parked in an apartment complex parking lot while visiting friends who live there. Unbeknownst to me(there were no signs posted), the apt. residents had received a memo stating that all visitors were required to now park in a certain place or be towed. I had no knowledge of that. After a few hours, I came out to my car and found a 'boot' being installed on my car by a private company that told me I had to pay them $95 to take the boot off....they said if I didn't have the cash on me, they would gladly wait until I went to the ATM to get it. They said if they went ahead & towed it, it would cost me $195. I was left to think about it while they went to 'boot' some other cars. In that time, I simply took the 'boot' off, (it slipped right off ...obviously not well installed), left the boot where it sat and I left.
The police later called me, saying that I could be charged with a felony, (theft of the boot worth $800) and told me to return the boot. I returned to the parking lot,(private property parking lot, isn't it?) picked up the boot where I had left it, took it to the company that owned it and gave them the boot back. They said, 'No good, we're still going to press charges'. I said "fine, here's your $95." They wouldn't take it. Said they were going to press charges for theft....BUT THEY HAVE THE BOOT BACK IN THEIR POSSESSION. Even the officer I talked with, said it was a 'racket', but he maintains that I can be charged with a felony. I had to take care of all this during the middle of the night, because I had guard duty the next day. (Air Nat'l Guard) Is this extreme? THEY attach something to MY PROPERTY, then say that I STOLE IT and charge me $95 to take it off??!!!! Can they do that?
A felony doesn't look good on a guardsman. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Last nite I parked in an apartment complex parking lot while visiting friends who live there. Unbeknownst to me(there were no signs posted), the apt. residents had received a memo stating that all visitors were required to now park in a certain place or be towed. I had no knowledge of that. After a few hours, I came out to my car and found a 'boot' being installed on my car by a private company that told me I had to pay them $95 to take the boot off....they said if I didn't have the cash on me, they would gladly wait until I went to the ATM to get it. They said if they went ahead & towed it, it would cost me $195. I was left to think about it while they went to 'boot' some other cars. In that time, I simply took the 'boot' off, (it slipped right off ...obviously not well installed), left the boot where it sat and I left.
The police later called me, saying that I could be charged with a felony, (theft of the boot worth $800) and told me to return the boot. I returned to the parking lot,(private property parking lot, isn't it?) picked up the boot where I had left it, took it to the company that owned it and gave them the boot back. They said, 'No good, we're still going to press charges'. I said "fine, here's your $95." They wouldn't take it. Said they were going to press charges for theft....BUT THEY HAVE THE BOOT BACK IN THEIR POSSESSION. Even the officer I talked with, said it was a 'racket', but he maintains that I can be charged with a felony. I had to take care of all this during the middle of the night, because I had guard duty the next day. (Air Nat'l Guard) Is this extreme? THEY attach something to MY PROPERTY, then say that I STOLE IT and charge me $95 to take it off??!!!! Can they do that?
A felony doesn't look good on a guardsman. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.