Tow truck vultures strike again

When he asked the driver why his bakkie was brought to their offices, he replied that he was scared he would not get paid.

As if being involved in a vehicle accident on the R559 near Toekomsrus on Friday 12 February was not enough, David Poulton, 37, got another shock after a local towing company handed him an invoice for R4 870 despite beinguoted R650.

Poulton said after the accident this towing company almost immediately had two trucks on the scene. He needed assistance since his vehicle’s right rear wheel had broke off due to the impact by the other vehicle.

He asked one of the tow truckers how much it would cost to tow the car, to which the man, who gave Poulton two different names, replied R650, whether he towed it to his offices, Poulton’s house or panel beaters close by.

Poulton decided to use his services, but when family friend Angelique Sleischer, 24, arrived at the scene, she recognised the man as the one who had towed away her car after an accident she was involved in last October.

She immediately advised Poulton not to use their services, as she had been conned by this towing company.

“After I had driven into a pavement, this towing company assisted me, but after about a week, they told me the vehicle was a write-off. They were willing to pay me R8 000 for it, and then gave me R2 700 after deducting R5 300 for their services. I declined the offer, I took my car to panel beaters and had it repaired.

Their blatant dishonesty is what upset me most,” Sleischer said.

Poulton decided to have his vehicle towed in anyway, seeing that it already had been loaded onto the tow truck. He decided to take it to the same panel beaters Sleischer had used, and told the tow-truck driver to follow him. Poultons’ wife, Michelle, drove behind the tow truck while Poulton and his friend led the way.

When they turned right towards the panel beaters, the tow-truck driver went straight ahead and disappeared out of sight. Poulton called their offices but nobody knew the whereabouts of their tow trucks. Poulten went to their office, only to learn that the tow truck with his bakkie were there.

When he asked the driver why his bakkie was brought to their offices, he replied that he was scared he would not get paid, as Poulton did not have that amount of cash on him.

Poulten showed him the money, and said he wanted his vehicle to be delivered to the panel beaters. Poulten then was given a hand-written note stating that he owed them R4 870. Poulten was shocked and told the driver they had agreed on R650.

At that point two police officers intervened, and Poulton ended up paying the R650 initially agreed upon. Poulton said he also was told that his car was a write-off, and that they would purchase it from him, which he declined.

His car is being fixed by the panel beater.

David Poulton’s bakkie after the accident.

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