It’s a bit of a story but I’m happy to take the time to tell it because it’s one that shows how stupidly naive people can be, especially when they are in business, and what they get away with because you don’t have a choice. Like this statement: “None of my employees do drugs.” Yeah, right buddy. Bears don’t shit in the woods either.

Here is how it all started. A friend of mine was behind on their vehicle payments and knew the rig was going to be repossessed, but it was the game of “drive it as long as you can and get away with it until they catch you” and tow the rig. Friend was at work and came out to find the vehicle was gone, and of course called the police just to make sure it wasn’t stolen. The police wouldn’t give up any info about where it was, Friend would have to call the finance company to even get the name of the company that towed the vehicle.

Once it was established where the vehicle was, Friend had only a phone number and no address so a call was made, but unless you made an appointment to come in and collect your personal belongings or pick up the vehicle, the company wouldn’t even give you their address. That’s a case of piss off right there in my opinion, do they think you’re going to come down and vault over prison-style fences to jump in and get your stuff…that isn’t even in your rig anymore because they take it out, pillage it, and store what they don’t want? After dealing with them though, I believe it’s due to self-preservation because someone might want to give them a good punch.

I went with Friend to the towing company and they were rude, cold, and heartless – we’ll get into the part where they are liars and thieves.

I asked if I could use their bathroom. “NO! It’s not for public use.”

“Please, I just drove in from Pahrump.”

“No, our insurance won’t allow it.”

I almost asked how their insurance felt about a claim from someone slipping on a freshly peed on floor but instead I said, “Thanks a lot buddy,” and left to drive about a mile to a Taco Bell. When I got back, Friend was producing ID and $50 in cash. They charge the cash to ransack your vehicle and supposedly store your items – then they charge a $5 fee for each day your stuff is on their property.

I admit I was lippy and sarcastic at this point…gee…how could that happen? Friend was trying to get me to clam up a bit when Friend got the receipt and we were told to go outside the office to one of the security gates and wait for Friend’s stuff to be brought around.

While we were getting the receipt, a young Asian couple came into the office to see about her car that had been towed. Somehow, during my sarcasm and irritation, the guy that was bringing the couple’s rig off of some truck or something managed to drop it off the back end but it was still behind the prison gates and the couple could clearly see it happen. She was crying, her guy definitely knew how to swear, and she was calling her insurance company to tell them that the tow company wouldn’t let them inside the vehicle prison so she could take pictures of the damage. It all went well with feeding my irritation…not at the couple but at the idiot policies of the tow company.

When Friend’s stuff finally arrived in a wagon pulled by the woman that took the $50; there was a backpack that had a lot of personal stuff in it – including Friend’s ID – a big plastic garbag bag that had miscellaneous tools, the license plates and registration, a couple of jackets, and a few other odds and ends. Friend searched through the backpack to find the keys to the vehicle and ID and turned to the woman to state that Friend was a medical marijuana patient and a bag worth about $180 had been in the backpack and Friend wanted it returned.

Here’s the part I really like.

She responded, “We destroy anything that’s illegal.”

I jumped in, “How do you know it’s illegal? And what gives you the right to go through someone’s personal possessions? The backpack was zipped up, someone had to open it.”

Her: If it’s illegal, we don’t keep it on the premises.

Me: Do you destroy it by rolling a joint and burning it to death? It’s not illegal if you have a license.

Friend: I have a license.

Her: I have to see the license and make a copy of it.

Me: You aren’t the police, it’s not your job to decide if something’s legal or not. If you think it’s illegal, you should call the police, not set yourself up to act like you’re law enforcement and you can take whatever you want.

Friend produces license, Her takes it to make a copy and returns with the ‘inventory sheet’ they had on the personal contents of the vehicle. Friend writes that a bag of medical marijuana had been in the backpack and was missing and Friend wanted it returned since it costs money to replace it.

The young woman whose car got dumped was back in the office when we went back in, she told us that her handbag had been in her rig and they opened it up and went through it. Guess if you run a tow company you are above the law and you can do whatever you want on your ‘secure lot’ even if it’s with someone else’s property.

Her told Friend that the manager had been out all week but he would call Friend when he came back to the office.

Friend got a call on Saturday that went to voicemail. It was Larry from the tow company. Larry basically said, “About the bag of marijuana that you said was in the vehicle, it’s illegal in the state of Nevada even if you have a license. I’m required by law to notify you.” And Larry disconnected.

Here’s the funny part, he’s required by law to state that medical marijuana is illegal in the state of Nevada even if you have a license for it? Better get out those law books and bone up Larry – you is so wrong! And are you required by law to go through everyone’s personal effects when you have their rig Larry?

Friend called Larry.

Friend: Someone in your company took a bag of medical marijuana out of my rig, I want it returned. It costs about $180 for the amount I had with me.

Larry: No one here would take marijuana or does any drugs. We run random drug tests.

Friend: Then you’d better start running those tests Larry because my medicine has been stolen. I suppose you don’t believe they would take it and try to sell it or give to their friends either, right?

Larry: It’s illegal anyway that’s why they shut down all the cafes in Vegas.

Friend: You are completely wrong Larry, that’s why I pay every year to have a medical marijuana license and be able to carry it with me where ever I go in the state. It’s my medicine. And what gives you the right to go through someone’s personal effects just because you have impounded their vehicle? You aren’t the law. If you think something illegal is going on, you should call the cops.

Larry: Well…it’s your word against ours anyway.

Friend: You’re right Larry. It is your word against mine but I’m going to check around and see if I can bring a lawsuit against you for setting yourself up as the police and for destroying personal property as you see fit. Have a nice day Larry.

So…here’s how I see it. Larry’s employees don’t do drugs, he does; but he’s right, it’s something that could never be proven. The person that took it knows that – and most people that steal something like that figure you can’t turn them in because you are breaking the law and don’t want to get yourself in trouble