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99% Invisible
99% Invisible

Service Request #5: Dude, Where's My Car?

April 07, 2026 • 32m

Summary

⏱️ 9 min read

Overview

This episode investigates the world of predatory towing after a 99PI staff member's car was towed from a 7-Eleven parking lot in just 15 minutes. Through interviews with a retired Detroit police officer, a former predatory tow truck driver, and the victim herself, the show reveals how towing companies use spotters, manipulate fees, and exploit regulatory gray areas to run what amounts to legalized extortion. The investigation exposes a largely unregulated industry that profits by targeting vulnerable car owners and making it as difficult and expensive as possible to retrieve their vehicles.

Kelly's 7-Eleven Parking Lot Nightmare

Kelly Prime parked her 2011 Mazda in what appeared to be an empty, well-lit 7-Eleven parking lot in Brooklyn while grabbing takeout nearby. After just 15 minutes, her car had vanished. The store clerk casually informed her that cars get towed from that lot constantly—about 20 per day. Google reviews revealed dozens of similar stories, with customers calling it an outright scam designed to extract money from unsuspecting parkers.

  • Kelly parked in an empty, brightly lit 7-Eleven parking lot while getting takeout nearby
  • After 15 minutes, her 2011 Mazda had been towed
  • The store clerk said 20 cars get towed daily from that lot
  • Google reviews showed many one-star ratings describing the same towing scam
" We parked in the parking lot, pulled up, only car there. What a miracle. And just ran out into the supermarket and spent probably like, you know, 15 minutes grabbing our stuff. "
" I was their customer for many years, gave a great business for all those years, till my car was towed, less than six minutes absence. "

How Towing Should Work vs. How It Actually Works

Tom Berry, a retired Detroit police lieutenant with 35 years of experience, explains that towing is supposed to serve the public good—removing illegally parked cars blocking driveways or clearing accident scenes. However, he discovered during his career that some officers were calling their preferred tow companies instead of following the approved list, receiving kickbacks while those companies charged inflated fees. This corruption eventually led to federal investigations and jail time for some officers.

  • Towing serves legitimate purposes like clearing driveways and accident scenes
  • Police officers are supposed to call from an approved list of towing companies
  • Some officers called tow companies they had relationships with, receiving kickbacks
  • A federal investigation eventually sent corrupt cops to jail
" It's a big business. It's a multi-million dollar business, and they make a lot of money doing this. So that's why they do it. "

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