Quote:
Originally Posted by ApS
Stolen annual decals have long been a problem in Florida, so I carry my current registration with my drivers license. Alas, nobody asked to confirm my ownership--they just quietly towed my vehicle. 
I agree, and should be contacting Ormond Beach PD "desk" first thing tomorrow. Say, where is an opinion from member "Mr. V"?
I hope I have more luck than with the Volusia Sheriff's Office. Their "telephone tree" was so labyrinthine, I resorted to 911, where I was casually patched-through to the towing company. (Who I can't really fault-- excepting...). |
So if I read this correctly, you are not displaying your stickers on your plate for fear of them being stolen. Sounds like you are in violation, you're supposed to have those stickers on your plate. ( I hope I'm correct in my assessment, I'm sure you'll correct me if you're wrong.) The bottom line is you are setting yourself up for problems like this and giving the police a reason to pull you over and check you out. I'd put the stickers on and worry about them getting stolen when it happens.
All that said, I watch a youtube guy who tows cars from private lots. Most of the time a property manager has him dispatched to remove violators, many of the tows are people without valid registrations.
Your case does sound predatory to me, a tow driver is probably contracted by the hotel to remove illegal cars, sees your car from Florida, figures there'll be a high probability you will just pay it out and disappear. I hope you follow through with calling the hotel when you have time. But again, if you don't have those stickers, you aren't exactly clean here.
Your sticker story reminds me of my uncle. He lived in a city in Massachusetts where my grandparents are also buried. My grandfather was a World War I veteran and had a bronze flag holder at their grave. I remember my uncle telling my mom for a bunch of years that the news was reporting that people were stealing those markers, apparently for the scrap metal price. Typical news, selling ads by making people afraid.
So years go by, every once in a while I'd hear the marker stealing story. Finally my uncle and mom were too infirmed to take care of the grave any more, so I helped out. Sure enough, no marker. After a few years my uncle passed away, I was in charge of cleaning out his house, what do I find? Two markers, one on his desk, the other tucked in a drawer in the desk. He apparently was taking the marker after the holiday to keep it safe. Well as he aged his memory wasn't as good as it used to be and he was forgetting to bring them back. I'm willing to bet had he just left the marker in the cemetery it would have been just fine.