Police take down illegal car-towing operation
A three-month investigation into the illegal towing of at least 90 cars came to a conclusion last week with the arrest of three people on hundreds of felony charges.
Boynton Beach police executed a search warrant at Access Express Towing and Transport, 1330 W. Industrial Ave., #112.
Stephanie Slater, police department spokeswoman, said the company’s owners, Debra Corti, 48, and her son Leonard Corti, 30, were taken into custody.
Debra Corti’s daughter, Jessica Corti, 26, was also arrested. In addition, police seized three tow trucks and several vehicles. Police expect to make more arrests in the near future.
Slater said the investigation, dubbed Operation Access Denied, resulted in 390 felony charges and 120 misdemeanor charges. Each defendant is charged with 65 felonies to include 30 counts of grand theft auto, 30 counts of dealing in stolen property, scheme to defraud and cheating.
Each also faces 20 misdemeanor charges of failure to notify police of tow, refusing to release a vehicle, not answering the phone, not having a sign posted and holding a vehicle for over an hour.
The Boynton Beach Police Department Traffic Unit’s investigation revealed that Access Express Towing illegally towed 90 cars from a parking lot at 1105 and 1109 N. Federal Highway.
Without permission from the parking lot’s owner, the company posted two towing signs on the property. The company would then take down their tow signs, wait for people to park in the lot, steal their cars and then replace the tow signs.
Access Express Towing would charge between $55 and $335 for people to get their cars back. During the investigation, police witnessed Leonard Corti leave one of his cars in the parking lot prior to others parking there in a scheme to lead others to believe it was OK to park in the lot.
Of the 90 towed cars, police have located 30 victims.
Police are asking that anyone who had their car towed from the parking lot at North Federal Highway by Access Express Towing to call 561-742-6827.
Mike Rothman can be reached at mkrothman@tribune.com.
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Mike Rothman
Comments
IT WAS A 100% LEGAL BUSINESS THAT HAD ALL THE LICENSES & SIGNED CONTRACT FROM CHRIS THE VALET DRIVER WHO WAS AUTHORIZED BY KEN THE PROPERTY OWNER OF THE 1100 BUILDING AT PLATINUM SHOW GIRLS THAT WANTED VEHICLES OF CHOICE TOWED DUE TO NOT PAYING TO VALET PARK IN THE CLUBS PARKING LOT. UNTIL THE COMPANY BECAME A PERSONAL VENDETTA TO THE CORRUPT JEALOUS BOYNTON BEACH POLICE OFFICERS THAT MADE STATEMENTS LIKE THEY WOULD COST THE OWNERS SO MUCH MONEY & RUN THEM OUT OF BUSINESS & BOYNTON BEACH EVEN IF THEY LOSE, & ALL TOGETHER THERE WERE 6 ARRESTS IN THE SO CALLED HUNDREDS OF CHARGES THAT THE POLICE PUT TOGETHER & ALL CHARGES GOT DROPPED ON 4 OF THE PEOPLE & THE STATE NO FILED THEIR CASE.
THE STATE NO FILED ALL THOSE BOGUS CHARGES TO 1 3RD DEGREE FELONY ON THE LAST 2 THAT ARE STILL GOING TO COURT ALMOST 1 YEAR LATER CAUSE THE 3 MONTH INVESTIGATION OVER 90 VEHICLES TOWED CASE IS SO WEAK DUE TO THE BOYNTON BEACH POLICE'S GREAT DETECTIVE WORK.
Posted by: GHOST | October 23, 2009 11:30 AM