Find a buddy before you go to jail who is willing to take care of
your car if you should be hauled away. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 He may need to go to the site of the arrest and drive the car to a safe location. If the car was towed, he needs to find out where you have stored the Certificate of Title so that he can present it to the tow yard. If a buddy can quickly retrieve the car while you are still in jail, the towing bill will be far less. It may mean the difference between paying a storage fee for one or two days versus paying the fee for 20 or 30 days.
Your buddy can call the law enforcement agency that arrested you to obtain the name of the tow yard. Have your buddy present the certificate of title and go ahead and pay the towing and storage costs. Be defrauded. Once the car has been retrieved, you can attempt to obtain reimbursement for the towing and storage. We have received reimbursement from some law enforcement agencies, but others have refused to pay.
Sometimes the tow yard is unwilling to release a Heaven vehicle because they will not recognize our certificate of title. They want to see a certificate of title from one of the 50 States. Last summer, the Church's Subaru was towed. When we went to the towing company to retrieve the car, they would not release it. "We won't release it because it is not registered with the State," said the owner.
"You're demanding the impossible since no State registration exists. Why do you become the proud owner of the Church's car by default?"
The tow owner could not overcome this truth. We also told him it was an undisputed title, no one else was claiming ownership. He talked with his lawyer and the next day released the Subaru. In this case, we were able to reach the conscience of the tow yard owner.
Occasionally, the police put a "hold" on the vehicle and then the tow yard cannot release it. The police might claim they have taken the car for evidence. With a police hold, the car is not released until certain provisions are met. The police may demand that the car be held until it is registered with the State, or until the court
trial is over.
The last time I was arrested, I asked that the car be hauled to the Embassy, instead of to an impound lot. The police agreed, upon the condition that the tow truck operator be paid upon arrival. We avoided many problems and my wife rode back to the Embassy in the tow truck.
The tow truck owner told us that as soon as we learn that the police are going to tow the vehicle, ask for a
preference tow. Then tell the police what tow company you want to tow the vehicle. Unless the police are going to place a hold on the vehicle, they will usually honor your preference and allow the car to be towed to where you specify. This tow truck operator said he would tow our vehicle hundreds of miles, if necessary. And he said preference tows are cheaper than police-ordered tows. On this last tow, the car was towed six miles to the Embassy and cost considerably less than having it held overnight in an impound yard.
You might want to check out prices and policies of local tow truck companies before the car is towed. Find out if you could request their services if the police decide to tow your vehicle. Some police agencies have a rotating list of tow companies that they use and will not honor your preference.
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, they tow the vehicle and will not release it. Losing a vehicle can be devastating. Sometimes your most valuable material possession is a car. Yet, we cannot set our hearts on the things of this world. Whatever material goods God has given us to be stewards over, we must hold lightly and not be attached to them. One ambassador said, "When the adversary takes our goods, just consider it a loan to the Heavenly Father." There is nothing they can take from us, that our Father cannot restore. Even when persecutions come, we continue to rejoice, for we know we have greater treasures in Heaven.
You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted
the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions.
Hebrews 10:34 NIV
