Victim of auto theft facing huge impound fee in Pueblo
Having your vehicle stolen is already a terrible situation, but for one Denver resident who found his stolen vehicle in Pueblo, the nightmare keeps getting worse.
After 57-year-old Robert Griffin’s vehicle was stolen in May then recovered by Pueblo Police in June, he thought his troubles were over. However, he soon realized he didn’t have the financial means to pay the impound lot in Pueblo.
According to Pueblo Towing, which currently has Griffin’s Jeep Grand Cherokee, the original fine was $120 dollars. After weeks out on the lot, the bill now stands closer to $1,700.
“I did not have the money I had to wait for my next Social Security check,” said Griffin.
Griffin is on a fixed income. When the car was recovered, he says he didn’t have the funds to make a trip or pay the fee.
By the time his next check came in, the fee was already at $800, and he couldn’t afford that either.
Back in May, Griffin was arrested because of a warrant in connection to a traffic violation. The woman who was supposed to bail him out of jail took the Jeep and all of his belongings.
“The young lady did not follow us to jail to bail me out,” said Griffin. “I haven’t seen her since, nor my car, nor all my belongings, or my dog.”
Pueblo Towing says they spoke with Griffin multiple times, and are confident he knew his bill would increase by $30 every day. They thought he was coming to pick up the vehicle any day, and were never made aware of his financial situation.
“We understand that the longer that car is at the tow company, it’s getting fees, and we don’t want that to happen,” said Cpl. Richard Wojcik of the Pueblo Police Department.
That’s why Pueblo Police contacted Griffin, as well as Denver authorities, when the Jeep was found on June 25th. They then continued to keep him informed. Despite this, Pueblo Police say rules are in place for a reason.
“If this tow company doesn’t get paid, that’s not good, ’cause they’ve got employees to pay, they’ve got to pay for wear and tear on the truck, they’ve got to pay for fuel,” says Wojcik “So now we are victimizing the tow company? How is the tow company going to survive in this business.”
On the other hand, Griffin isn’t buying it.
“I agree they should be paid for coming and hooking it up and towing it, but thirty dollars a day just to be sitting out back inside of a chained fence?” asked Griffin. “I don’t see where there is a lot of cost incurring there.”
Griffin tells me he doesn’t know what he can do and is hoping he can find some help.
Authorities tell me if he had insurance, the problem could’ve been easily remedied, and the vehicle could even be returned to him.
