Venice residents upset about city towing cars without proper warning

VENICE, CA (FOX 11) - Many residents in a Venice neighborhood woke up Saturday stunned to see their cars had been towed for reasons they said they were unaware of.

On the 1,000 block of Frederick Street, people said they were able to leave their cars parked for an unlimited amount of hours and it had always been that way.

So when Alex Hall-Mounsey came back from out of town, he was unpleasantly surprised to find out his car had been towed because the temporary tow signs had not been in place when he left.

"Where I come from up north, 4th of July gets weeks ahead of time, parking notices and closures and I think 3 days is a bit short for that especially when you travel." He told reporter, Leah Uko.

The temporary tow signs read "NO STOPPING" from the hours of 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., but it was unclear when they were put in place.

That was residents' Leah Berman and Zach Roberson main issue -- that they weren't properly notified. They said some residents told them the signs were put up about three days prior to a Cinco de Mayo parade on Lincoln Boulevard, but other people claimed they said crews putting up the signs about 30 minutes before 6 a.m.

At 6 on the dot, Berman said at least 15 cars were taken while people were asleep.

"The fact that there were so many cars towed just goes to show that not that many people could be that stupid all at once and not read a sign," Berman said.

Some had to pay more than $300 to get their cars out the impound and had to pay ticket fees.

"It was weird. When we went to go pick up our cars at the towing place, we actually ran into other people who had the same thing happen to them, but on a different street," Roberson said.

The three were hoping the Ralph's grocery store and neighbors with security cameras would be able to provide surveillance footage that showed exactly when the city put the temporary towing signs up.