Utica, NY – December 11, 2012 – Two people were arrested after violently obstructing a repossession and smashing the two truck’s windshield.
Police report that an unnamed Repo Man had begun loading a repossessed car outside of a residence on Brayton Park Place on Monday morning. The driver tried to find the owner, Darnell Pete, but was told he was not at home, police say. So the driver proceeded to load the vehicle onto his truck when the owner, a 22-year-old Danielle Gary, came out of the house and began yelling at him and allegedly jumped on top of the lift refusing to let the driver leave.
Then, according to reports, 17 year old Darnell Pete, who was with the owner at the time, allegedly threatened to get a gun and shoot the driver, but instead shattered the tow truck’s windshield with a shovel and, police said.
The Repo Man then called the police who arrived and took both parties into custody. The Repo man was able to finish his job.
Police have charged both Gary and Pete with felony third-degree criminal mischief while Gary also is charged with misdemeanor obstructing governmental administration according to police.
Half these incidents I read about sound like the repossessors fault! Don’t get me wrong, what the debtor and her accomplice did were against the law, but why as a “trained professional” would you not have had that car loaded and “gone in 60 seconds”?! Why are repossessors I read about attempting contact? Why do these (so called professionals) keep putting themselves into situations like these? “Hook it and book it” that’s how I was taught. If you can take the car without contact, then by all means…TAKE IT! We don’t get paid to get keys, (unless the repossessor is charging the client for keys after it was recovered) but whatever the reason, why put yourself out there like that? If there’s no contact, then there’s no breach or trouble. “Common Sense”!!!
Can you say wrongful repossession. He should have dropped the car and left. That’s the law!!!
This may be a situation where the client will not pay for keys but have contracted that keys will be included in the repossession fee! This is dangerous practice much like contingency. Keys should be in addition to the repossession fee. Most professional repossession agencies have the tools, knowledge and skills to make standard and transponder keys, but it is an expensive venture and many clients will not pay for the keys anymore. Many clients have keys done at the auction. This tends to lead to other problems such as the inability to access the trunk and glove box in certain vehicles to remove the personal property and higher costs for transport to the auction. Regardless of the reasons agents try to get the keys at the time of repossession it is simply a bad practice. Get the car and get out of the line of fire! BE SAFE!
I agree with “fed up”. DO NOT MAKE CONTACT
I agree with “Fed Up”. DO NOT MAKE CONTACT at time of repo.
If you are forced to give free keys for a repo of course you are going to try and make contact. Its a calculated risk that is forced on repo companies. And you can leave the area if someone is laying across the hood of your vehilce. If that stupid debtor got hurt that driver would have been liable wether he was threatend or not.
Maybe the forwarder DEMANDS that we inventory and store personal property for free or 20 WHOLE dollars so the driver did not want to inventory the car for FREE and decided to let the debtor clean it out.