Woman claims Waterford towing company is targeting car owners in Pontiac lot

PONTIAC, Mich. (WJBK) - One woman says she's been targeted by a towing company that's preying on unsuspecting drivers.

Kari Melkonian thought she did the right thing. She pulled into a Pontiac parking lot and paid at a meter but when she went to get her car, it was nowhere to be found.

"I instructed him that I did pay the meter and he said I paid the wrong meter," she said. "I was very upset."

So Kari called the Fox 2 Problem Solvers for help because she was billed $215 by the towing company to get her car back.

She believes that there is insufficient signage instructing customers where to pay the correct meter.

The owner of the towing company disagrees.

"When you drive in, there is more than one sign that says you need to pay at this meter - so she drove right past a sign right next to pay machine," said John Rogers of Waterford Towing.

But Kari paid at the meter facing the lot and believes the signs inside the lot are not clear.

The owner of the lot spoke to Fox 2 by phone.

"This has been going on for more than a year," said Gary Warner, the lot owner. "The city won't do anything and no one will. I made stickers that read pay station for street parking only."

But Kari believes the best way to correct the problem is to add better instructions on signs at the lot.

Kari says she is sharing her story so no one else becomes a victim - and she says she wants her money back.

"If I go get my money back I will donate it to a charity in Pontiac," she said.

The owner of the towing company says he's done nothing wrong but they are willing to work with the customer.

"Tell you what, find out her charity and I'll give $215 to that charity," Rogers said.

As for changes at the lot:

"I've done everything I possibly can," Warner said.