Nouveau Money Making Scheme Sure To Catch On

Tow trucks swoop in on paradegoers' cars

The 79th annual Bud Billiken Parade was without incident until after the event Saturday, when police responded to a barrage of calls from attendees who found their cars missing.
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Motorists, residents and store owners in the area say a tow company waited until lots near the parade route were full of cars before posting towing notices and taking vehicles. Each owner had to shell out at least $170 to Rendered Services Inc. to retrieve their cars.
Police on the scene said they'd heard many radio calls about towing from vacant lots in the area, and most involved Rendered. Police said at one point they had to stop trucks from yanking the cars because the signage was erected after the 10 a.m. start of the parade.
About 50 cars were towed from a lot at 51st and Indiana. Owners argued they would not have risked towing fees had there been signs.
"They just put it up no less than an hour ago," said Eric Bacon, owner of Butch Bacon's Hats, a nearby store.
Cars also were towed from 44th and Prairie, where neighbors say a sign perched on a five-foot-high, skimpy post in the middle of the lot was not there when paradegoers parked. The notice looked new."