A DRIVER sounded off after she crossed the street to use the restroom, and her vehicle was towed in about one minute.
A Toyota Sienna minivan owner stopped at a 7-Eleven convenience store for a quick coffee, but the visit cost over $200.
Xing Feng parked outside the convenience store in 2016, according to New York City-based NBC affiliate WNBC.
Her car was towed 66 seconds after she left the vehicle, according to the station.
"I had to go to the restroom," Feng said.
The 7-Eleven store didn't have a bathroom inside, so Feng crossed the street to enter a nearby restaurant before returning to make the coffee purchase.
Signs posted around the 7-Eleven warned drivers that parking in the lot without entering the store could result in their vehicles being towed.
A lurking tow truck took the opportunity to snatch Feng's minivan and drive around the block, the station said.
The tow truck operator returned to the parking lot minutes later and asked the woman to fork over $217 in cash, the station reported.
"He wouldn't take a check," Feng added.
Feng was part of a large cohort of New York drivers complaining to authorities after their cars were towed in 2016.
More than 1,400 drivers reported potential illegal tows in the city in the first five months of the year, the station said.
In New York, towing operators are barred from grabbing vehicles without the private lot owner's consent.
They're also not allowed to charge more than $125.
Towing operators can only charge the maximum amount if they store the vehicle in private lots.
The station said it was unclear if the towing operator cleared the consent and vehicle storage hurdles in the short time of the interaction.
Wrongfully or not, retrieving a towed vehicle can be a hassle.
If your vehicle is towed after parking in a "No Parking" zone or other legitimate reason, there are a few steps to take to get it back.
Steps to take when your car is towed:
If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps:
Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak Law Firm
Drivers across the US have continually complained about towing operators snatching their cars despite city-wide regulations.
In San Francisco, a towing company is facing legal scrutiny after the city's attorney, David Chiu, filed a complaint alleging the company was "predatory."
Auto Towing LLC faced several complaints this year after several drivers said their cars were taken by the company.
A driver even alleged a subsidiary attempted to grab their car while they were driving.
In Kansas City, several drivers complained their vehicles were hitched by an unmarked towing truck.
The drivers said their cars were legally parked on the street near their house.
A homeowner caught two men with her security camera. Images showed the drivers hooking her car to the tow truck before quickly making off down the street.
