Pepe's Towing bad reputation is bad for business in Orange County

Is there any regulations with these fees? PEPE's is the absolute highest ever. Just like you have said here, Pepe's waited for me to park then took my car. Bunch of crooks. I hope there place burns down! I've seen cleaner offices in TJ!!!!

YES, there are regulations. Legally, if there is no sign posted where you park, then it cannot be towed. If you see the driver with the vehicle attched, and he has still not left the property then he legally has to drop the vehicle without charge. The only reason I know is because sadly I worked for this company. They are a bunch of no good assholes. Alot of the drivers are alcoholics, or drug dealers. The dispatchers are a joke, and the owner is a fat slob who doesn't give a rats ass about his employees or the vehicles that are destroyed when they are towed. In between Pepe and his brother Paco, they are two dumb asses that know nothing about the towing industry and just looking to piggy back off everyone and anyone they can. I was let go from this company awhile back for not wanting to be a BITCH to people, and for complaining about a fellow coworker that never did shit except for steal money and talk on the phone all day. Its a really messed up and filthy company. Email me for more info!

ayframirez@aol.com

Aaron, I thought I'd leave a comment to bring a little bit of balance to your site.

I work for a security company that uses Pepe's Towing, among others. First of all, I'll address the people that are complaining about having been towed. Stop playing the part of the helpess victim and stop blaming the towing company. You should blame yourself for not paying attention to/ignoring the signs that are posted.

Pepe's Towing posts signs on ALL of their properties to which they provide service. I challenge anyone  (that includes you, Aaron) to name ONE property from which they were towed where there were no signs posted.

What I find particularly telling about the people complaining is their comments are full of spelling/grammatical erros. This demonstrates a lack of education, which makes it easy to understand why they were towed to begin with.

I'm not saying Pepe's Towing is not without its problems, they have their issues just like anyone else. Their problems are not, however, on the scale to which they are being presented here.

As far as regulations are concerned...do any of you honestly believe that the towing companies can charge whatever they feel like charging? The towing industry is regulated and there is a cap on the fees which they can charge. They can only charge the maximum fees that each separate city allows, and if a law enforcement officer shows up and asks what their fees are, this information must be disclosed.

Every person that is towed receives a "breakdown" on their receipt which shows what they were charged and why. For example, typical towing fees are: Tow fee: $109. Labor: $45. Storage: $40. Gate fee: $50. You can see, therefore, how this can easily add up to over $200.

Aaron, if you have any questions about being towed, regulations, fees, etc., feel free to email me. You'll receive a fair, unbiased answer to your question(s).

Lastly, anyone claiming they were wrongfully towed and "overcharged," I invite you to read Ca. Vehicle Code Section 22658, and THEN come back and tell us again how you were "victimized."

I bet we won't hear from you.

I posted a comment on the other blog about this company. Feel free to read it. I disagree with you again Jake and I think its a bunch of BS. You talk about peoples education and the way of spelling in your third paragraph. You cant even spell errors correctly... a six letter word, and you are talking shit about grammar. Whatever, this is a blog "WE AREN'T WRITING A NEW DECLARATION OF IND"  Get a grip people. If you feel that you are a victim, there is always small claims! Sue the company!

1. Pepes towing are also thiefs, my teenage son ran out of gas at the 5 fwy and Newport exit in Tustin, he was gone less than 15 minutes before returning with gas, the truck was gone, it was not sited by Tustin PD or the CHP, they illegally snagged it, it was at their tow yard! No one knew where it was, not the PD, finally I contacted a local CHP towing agency, they told me to call Pepes, they said that they do this all of the time, I threatened to have them arrested for GTA and they brought the truck back to the same place that they stole it from!

yes, they need to be in jail!

I will reiterate what was written, by me, in a similar blog site regarding this truely, horrible company.  I had my case heard at the local small claims division, today, November the 2nd, 2009.  I had a stack of valuable evidence.  Pepe's Towing LLC did not even show.  After presenting my pile of valuable evidence, the judge awarded me the maximum, 4 times the original extortion........er um, I mean towing charge.  The presiding judge awarded me $785 in the form of default judgement.  It was so easy.  The VC statute that Pepe's Towing LLC uses to justify their organized theft is section 22658.  Such statute allows up to 4 times the original extortion charge for unlawful impounds.  It was so easy, I almost regret that they did not show up for trial.  I feel like a prize fighter who trains for 2 months, only to arrive for the fight, then have the opponent throw in the towel.  I really wanted to embarass them.

In any case, if there are any other victims that truely seek justice, simply email me at scoobysteven@gmail.com.  I will personally fill out all the documentation, even escort you to file it and walk you through the process.  I will even share with you my wealth of incriminating evidence.  I promise, even if you THINK you have no chance, I will help you obtain your original towing extortion times 4.  That means, if they charged you $200, you will successfully receive $800.  The choice is really yours.  Do you like being a victim?

Dose any one know that Pepe's Towing also had a driver kill some one while towing a car from a property in Santa Ana? The Company sucks!!!!!!!

I sent an email to Steven to see what can be done about this company, because no I don't like to be victim whatsoever, and I've been victimized by this tow company TWO TIMES in the last four days.  They towed my car four days ago for not having my sticker on even though it was my first night at my apartments, and I was in my assigned parking space, and  than just lastnight for parking in the wrong spot.  This tow company literally drives through our complex every single night!  I've already left a message with my management company about contracting someone else, or I might have to give my 30 days.  I'm that fed up!  There are only four visitor parking spaces, and you have to get a permit from the management company before hand otherwise, the vultures of Pepe's Towing will be right there excitedly towing your car!  I'm contacting The Better Business Burea, the California License Board, and whoever else I can.  I will make it my personal mission to shut this business down, along with their trashy, unprofessional employees.  The horrible, trashy receptionist there tried to hold my car another day because she said I was giving her attitude!  Well gee it was 11:30 at night, I'm standing there for a good ten minutes while she's on a personal call, and all I said was could you please swipe my card, and give me my keys!  I called the cops, and what do you know I got my car!  I couldn't help but wave goodbye to her as I left to be a smartass...but that's not justice enough for me. 

Joanne, if that was your first night at the complex then the rules should have been fresh in your mind. Every time I have ever rented an apartment, the manager or leasing agent has gone over the rules with me-including the parking rules.

It doesn't matter if you were in your assinged space or not, there are signs literally everywhere on that property-including the entrances-saying you will be towed if you do not have a permit.

Also, after already having been towed once, why did you park in a spot other than your own assigned space? What sense does that make?

It appears that you are just another one of the endless stream of people who mess up, then want to play the part of the victim and blame the towing company, who were doing their job.

Another thing Joanne, the reason visitors must get a permit from the manager in advance to park in visitor parking is to keep tenants who have too many cars from using the visitor parking. This should'nt be that hard to figure out.

The permits state three times, "Valid for today only" "Valid until 11:00pm tonight" and "Good for today's date only." If they get towed for parking after 11:00pm, tell me whose fault it is?

Also, you think that trying to blackmail your manager with a 30 day notice will get a new towing company in there? It won't. Even if it did, do you think the new company would not enforce the rules, and not tow the people who break the rules?

Don't talk about moving out, do it. No one wants a whining crybaby like you as a tenant anyway. Lastly, you said that isn't enough justice for you. Let's see you try to sue Pepe's, so you can be made to look like a complete idiot IF you show at small claims court.