Screenshot of Revscene.net on CBC News

[The City of Richmond is hoping a decade-long battle may be nearing an end as guilty pleas are expected from a local towing company facing a raft of municipal bylaw charges, a city spokesman says.

A total of 15 charges — many to do with aggressive towing practices — have been laid against Paul's Towing, also known as City Wide Towing, said Richmond spokesman Ted Townsend.

"We believe this towing company has overstepped the boundaries and so we've taken this action," Townsend said.

Charges against Paul's Towing of Richmond include towing with someone still inside the towed vehicle. CBC The company's owners are accused of overcharging, improper towing, damaging a towed vehicle and even towing a vehicle with someone still in it.

The alleged offences were committed between 2002 and 2009.

If the company does plead guilty, the penalties would likely come in the form of fines, said Townsend.

"We've got other options which could include a suspension or even pulling their business license," he said. "All those tools are available to us, but our first primary is to try and get people into compliance of the bylaw."]

Edit - Sorry for the poor quality of video. I just recorded and slapped it onto youtube quickly.

Here is the follow up shortly after the story:
[City Wide Towing Fined for Illegal Towing
By Martin van den Hemel - Richmond Review
Published: May 20, 2011 1:00 PM
City Wide Auto Towing has been fined $5,000 in Richmond provincial court after pleading guilty to four city bylaw offences.

The towing firm with the notorious reputation for aggressive towing practices, pled guilty this week to operating without a business licence, and three counts of towing or attempting to tow vehicles without having filled out the tow-away notice as required by Richmond's vehicle bylaw.

Each illegal towing conviction cost City Wide $1,000, while lacking a business licence cost it $2,000.

Charges against owners Paul Sihata and Anna Sihata, driver Craig Yuen, and Paul's Towing Ltd. were stayed.

City Wide had been facing 15 bylaw counts. --original source: http://www.bclocalnews.com/richmond_southdelta/richmondreview/news/122356268....]

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