BALTIMORE — Mayor Brandon Scott, along with the Baltimore City Department of Transportation, and a group of Councilmen, announced Thursday that the city of Baltimore would no longer charge towing fees for stolen vehicles effective February 1.
This comes after complaints from owners that were charged with unexpected fees, ranging from $130 to $140, for their car to get released from impound facilities. These fees, frequently, were not covered or reimbursed by insurance companies, especially if the vehicle owner did not have all-inclusive coverage.
“This administration has made a concerted effort to correct historically unfair and inequitable policies across all of our agencies,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “These fees represent an unfair burden on victims of theft.”
With the public’s safety in mind, stolen cars located by police cannot be left in public areas that hinder resident travel. It is common for victims of auto theft to pay associated fees and towing fees to retrieve their stolen car.
“Among the more demoralizing calls I’ve received is to learn that the city is charging a person a fee resulting from that person having been a victim of a crime,” said Councilman Ryan Dorsey. “Doing away with such fees puts into practice a level of consideration every city resident deserves.”
