There are several tow truck drivers on TikTok that film their seizures. Some of them get my heart racing due to the dangers.I watched the Law&Crime video of this very brazen and terrifying act.
Tow truck operators have guidelines, laws, if you will, to follow when towing a vehicle even when in Florida. The owner of the vehicle owns the contents inside the vehicle/trunk.
In this case where it's taken from an illegally parking spot, the tow truck driver is required to notify Cops within 30 minutes.
All pertinent information must be provided, including:
Florida's Predatory Towing Rights: What You Need to Know (2024)
- the time of the tow;
- the location of the tow;
- where the vehicle is being stored;
- the costs or rates; and
- the vehicle’s make, model, color and license plate number.
Further, see Section c of Florida Statutes (unsecured link)
Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine
(c) Any law enforcement agency requesting that a motor vehicle be removed from an accident scene, street, or highway must conduct an inventory and prepare a written record of all personal property found in the vehicle before the vehicle is removed by a wrecker operator. However, if the owner or driver of the motor vehicle is present and accompanies the vehicle, no inventory by law enforcement is required. A wrecker operator is not liable for the loss of personal property alleged to be contained in such a vehicle when such personal property was not identified on the inventory record prepared by the law enforcement agency requesting the removal of the vehicle.
The Statute you provided gives clarity to the bad reviews and mentions of personal property not being returned.