WEST HOLLYWOOD—On September 4, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station issued a public safety update announcing deputies stopped a person who was allegedly operating an illegal tow truck near the intersection of Fountain Avenue and La Brea Avenue.
The truck’s owner was allegedly soliciting services from a driver who was involved in a traffic accident. Deputies became suspicious after they saw the truck didn’t have the logo or name of the towing company visible. They learned that the registration expired in 2014. They also found a police scanner, which illegal tow truck operators use to monitor emergency broadcasts so they can arrive at an accident scene before a licensed tow truck.
Deputies arrested the driver for illegal towing and for possessing a police scanner. Authorities advise citizens to remember that if they are in a traffic accident, they should use only a towing company recommended by a law enforcement officer or their insurance company. Citizens should remember that a legitimate tow truck will display both a permit number and the company name.
On October 10, 2023, California Assembly Bill 1263 from the 2023–2024 session of the California State Legislature became law. It expanded the authority of the California Bureau of Automotive Repair, or BAR, and gave it the power to target illegal towing or bandit towing operations within California.
By Daniel Diquinzio