Does a towing company have the right to keep my personal belongings after taking possession of my vehicle?
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Does a towing company have the right to keep my personal belongings after taking possession of my vehicle?
Asked on September 3, 2015 under General Practice, Utah
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 9 years ago | Contributor
No, they do not have the right to keep any of your belongings which were in the car even if they had the right to take the car, that right does not extend to any other property. If they do not return the belongings, first call the police the police may help, though they often refuse to get involved in cases like this even though they should however, there is no cost-effective way to make the police take action when they refuse. You could also, if you have the relevant insurance e.g. homeowner's or renter's, which would cover your personal property when it is in your vehicle file a claim for theft, which is what this is and/or you can sue the towing company, possibly in small claims court acting as your own attorney, or "pro se," to save on costs for the value of what they took.
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