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Illegal towing operation exposed in Harvey, dozens of vehicles seized in raid

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Updated  July 21, 2023 12:32am CDT
Harvey
FOX 32 Chicago

Illegal towing company listened to scanners, pinpointed accidents then charged high fees: police

South suburban police unraveled an illegal towing service this week.

HARVEY, Ill. - Police, on Thursday, uncovered an illegal towing operation in south suburban Harvey, and ordered the seizure of more than 60 vehicles during their investigation.

Officials said they unraveled the ‘towing company scam’ after a City of Harvey vendor was involved in a car accident on I-57 around 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

S1 Towing Company, also listed as Sand City Towing LLC, arrived to the scene of the crash where they subsequently towed the vehicle.

Police said S1 Towing Company then attempted to charge $3,500 in fees for the job.

It led police to respond to the company’s towing yard, located in the 200 block of East 159th Street, where they discovered an illegal operation.

Officials said police immediately shut down the operation and confiscated more than 60 vehicles, including a red tow truck.

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FOX 32 Chicago’s cameras captured video of police at the scene. As seen in that video, several reputable towing companies were called to assist with the removal of the impounded vehicles, according to police.

Police directed the cars to be taken to city lots, and are now looking for the owners of those vehicles.

The investigation revealed that the tow truck drivers associated with the illegal operation used police scanners to monitor for nearby accidents. Upon arriving at the scene of a crash, they would falsely claim to have authorization to tow the damaged vehicles, officials said. Then, the company would "demand exorbitant amounts" of money, such as the $3,500 fee mentioned earlier.

"The City of Harvey condemns such dishonest practices and remains committed to protecting its residents and visitors from any fraudulent activities. As this investigation continues, the City urges anyone who may have been affected by this towing scam or who has relevant information to come forward and assist with the ongoing efforts to hold those involved accountable," said Harvey Police Chief Cameron Biddings.

This business park where the towing yard is located houses several companies.

Officials said S1 Towing Company never obtained a license to operate within the City of Harvey. Additionally, police discovered the towing company was significantly behind in rent, and the property owners had been actively seeking to remove the company from their premises.