I live in Rhode island, just to make that clear from the beginning. My car had been impounded a few months back through the Warwick police. They use private tow yards to store and tow the cars though. I was laid off right after this, and through unemployment make barley $200 dollars weekly. I have been trying every way possible to get my car out, and stay current on the payments to the finance company. In talking with the towing guy, he made a deal with me, if I gave him $440, I would be able to come down and take my belongings from the vehicle, before the finance company was to repot it. Upon going there to collect my belongings, all of my paintball gear was missing, I was told the police seized it. I later found out, that was a lie, the towing guy's brother ( an employee) has it at a storage unit where they keep things of value from any cars they have impounded. He refuses to give it back to me citing he has every right to keep it until further payment is made, and that the car falls under the abandoned car law.
The police told me there is nothing I can do, although a friend asked his buddy, who is a lawyer ( although not a lawyer that would specialize in this stuff) and stated: he has to either give it to me because we had an agreement that stated if I gave him $440, I would get all my belongings, or he has to write a list of every item he is keeping, the value of it, and how much the new balance would be minus those items.
What are my options in this situation? Can they keep my things hostage? Is what he is doing illegal? All I really want is my stuff back,stuff I was told I would get, under false statements. I am very unsure of where to go from here, except that tomorrow I need to figure out some type of action. any help would be very much appreciated.
The police told me there is nothing I can do, although a friend asked his buddy, who is a lawyer ( although not a lawyer that would specialize in this stuff) and stated: he has to either give it to me because we had an agreement that stated if I gave him $440, I would get all my belongings, or he has to write a list of every item he is keeping, the value of it, and how much the new balance would be minus those items.
What are my options in this situation? Can they keep my things hostage? Is what he is doing illegal? All I really want is my stuff back,stuff I was told I would get, under false statements. I am very unsure of where to go from here, except that tomorrow I need to figure out some type of action. any help would be very much appreciated.