The only thing more annoying than getting your car towed might be getting your car towed by a fake tow truck driver, one woman in Boston learned recently.
“The only way we can move forward on these types of crimes is when victims come forward rather than simply giving in to whatever scam is being attempted on them,” Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a statement.That’s exactly what this victim did, and she deserves a great deal of credit for her quick and correct decision.”
The unidentified woman called Boston Police at around 10 p.m. Saturday to say that her car had been towed for no apparent reason and that the owner of the tow company, “Up N Down Towing,” was trying to extort her for $300 in cash, according to Hayden’s office.
That tower, Tyrone Rutledge, 33, of Roxbury, now faces charges including extortion, witness intimidation and several motor vehicle violations. Judge Maureen Flaherty set bail at $100 and ordered Rutledge to return to court December 11 for a pre-trial hearing.
According to the DA’s office, Rutledge has a history of motor vehicle crimes, including pleading guilty Monday to operating without a license. Officers on the scene recognized him, according to prosecutors, from a previous police bulletin for towing vehicles without a license.
The alleged victim told police that when she called his company, he told her she was towed for being improperly registered and uninsured — which was not true, according to the city Transportation Department. Even if he made a mistake, he allegedly told her, she would have to fork over $300 to get her car back.
