INDIANAPOLIS — If your vehicle gets stolen, you will not only have to deal with not having transportation, but you could also be charged for getting it back.
When the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department recovers a stolen vehicle, officers contact the original owner so they can get it back. But unless insurance covers it, the owner still must pay for the tow and impound fee, which can be hundreds of dollars.
This happened to Benjamin Gorski last year. His truck was stolen, then recovered. But he had to pay for both the towing fee and impound lot fees.
Gorski is disabled, living on social security and had trouble coming up with the money.
“We live month-to-month,” Gorski said in October 2018. “We don’t have any money until the first of the month. Every day [the truck] sits there is another $30. Today it’s up to $350.”
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To help people like him, Indianapolis City-County Councilor Joseph Simpson, D-District 7, is introducing a proposal that would waive the fees if the owner picks up their vehicle within seven days of being notified about it. After seven days, the owner would have to pay.
In this case, Simpson is more than a lawmaker trying to change city code. He knows firsthand how frustrating it can be.
A couple of years ago, Simpson’s daughter’s vehicle was stolen. When it was recovered, she owed about $150 in fees, which surprised Simpson.
He paid the fees, since she didn’t have the money to at the time. She used the car for going back and forth to school.
"It was just one of those deals where I felt this was unfair,” Simpson said. “Forget me being a councilor, just as an average citizen. I felt it this was totally unfair. I just couldn't believe you would get victimized twice — stolen, then you have to pay."
If passed, the proposal could also provide another positive impact — it would give people incentive to report their stolen vehicles to IMPD. Only vehicles that were previously reported stolen would be eligible to get the fees waived.
Simpson worked with IMPD Deputy Chief Valerie Cunningham and Chief Bryan Roach, as well as Department of Business and Neighborhood Services on the proposal. He said IMPD and the department’s contracted towing company is in support of the proposal.
Simpson said other major cities have a similar ordinance. He said he’s just trying to correct something that should’ve happened a long time ago.
“If it’s happening to me, how many more people is it happening to?” Simpson said. “As taxpayers and people out here working hard, especially when it comes to kids or people who don’t have money. It’s one thing to get your car stolen, then when you go down there, you have to come up with a $175 towing fee and bill.”
