pae 4. Whlby Free Pm~ss, Wednegday Mých 22, 1gP5 Police issue waming about tow trucks By Mlark Reesor If you'!re unfortunate enough to be mnvolved in an accident, espe- ciaiy on the 401, don't choose the firat tow truck that cornes along. Thlat's the warning from police end local fire department and tow truck operators. They say so-calied 'bandit' or 'chase tow trucks, many from the Toronto area, patrol the 401. Armed with two or three radio msnners tuned into police and fiîre frequencies, they rush to accident scenee, sometimes arriv- ingeen before emerjency crews. heir recent victins include motoriste involved in a accident at 401 and Thickson Road on Feb. 16. The three cars invoived were all towed to a yard in Markhain, a Wbiltby fu*re departnxent source says, at a cost of several hundred dollars. One 'motorist, who was on bis wy to Kingston, had to hire a Witby cornpany, Dufi's Towing, to retrieve bis vehicle. "rve picked up cars in Missis- saulga from an accident in Whitby," says Mike Lawson, an owner/operator associated with Dufs Towing. "These guys run the highwýLY and if they happen tob in Wýhitby and their yard's in Mis- sissauga, that's where the car goes.n And if they take your car toa body shop, tey often get a kick- bac of 10 per cent of the repair coet, e warns. BaPndit drivers often try te give the impression «that they've been authorized or requested te tow a car," says Lawson. "A gry's in a neck brace and on bis way to the hospitai and a guy walks up te himi with a business card and says 'this is where your car's going te be.' You know, there's not a lot of discussion about it usually.» Many of the bandit trucks use old and outrnoded equiprnent which is likei1 to damnage modern vèhicies, Lawson adds. 'The guys frorn Toronto charge $150 te show up and then it's two bucks a à .lk» says Linda Franklin, a dis patcher at Brougliton Towing o f Whitby. Broughton or Dufs charge less than haif that, including mile- ane, for a tow te anywhere in the local area. «These guys corne along and they say'O:kay, lil take you off the hihway and y ou sign my invoic' So there you are with a j. m m m m m mm mm mm m. m m mm m m mmm mmm m m mm. I ùom IM I Murn I m Ii à ... .. . .. . ... .... . . .. .. . . .M.. . . .. k I di , M7. .. .. .. .. iii- .. .. .. . Iý yj . . Iý M*6 6 Z'9 9 -20 0-M .. . .... .. .M.. . ... blank invoic estaring at you and of course... youre under the im- pression it won't cost you rnuch.' "Once you get off. he's got your signed bil,w says FSankn, "and demande $150. If you don't have the money, your car is towed to bis compound, at $2 a kilometre, and youre bit with $25 or so a day in storage charges.» Wbi*le Broughton is on the OPP list of tow trucks to cail, they only get called "if it's an impound (and) it's 3 o'clock in the morning and there's nobody else out there,» Franklin says. '['ho rest of the tirne they use whoever happens to show up firat.» Although theres a law against tow truck drivers solictingr busi- ness at accident scenes -- theypre only aupoe to stop if someone flage thern down - the OPP doesn't enforce it, local drivers *tdetachment comman- der, Staff Sergeant Peter Scan- lan, saLys the OPP works from a list of companies but "if were in an urgent situation where we have to get a vehicie out of the way because of the traffic (thou), we will use sonebody if he is tere. "IF tirne is of the essence, it's out of there.» Scanlan says hes not aware of a probiem with trucks from the Toronte ares, working the 401 ini Durham Rion and hasn't per- sonally receîved any complaints. "There are bandits. Tere are too many tow truck operators working out of Metro -Toronto and they're hooked in with body shops and everythig else,» says a police officer who asked that bis name not be used. «It's like everything else; there are good ones and there are He says police prefer te use local companies "but if an arrngeenthas been made for towing the vehicie on our arrivai, theres not much we can do... «Unfortunateiy, there's no way we can restrict, on aronca highway, who's out there run- nl*advice for people involved inaccidelnts: "Don't make any deals... wait for the police te arrive and ask them teo, ial a local towing cornpany." Storage space sought FI at .on Dis le tanc ding Rate 1 g Per Month . . . . . . . . . . ... .. . . . . . . .... .... . .. pa\1 hUge costs foi- long distance calls froni Whitby to Metro Torpnto. Markani or Etobicoke? Metro Access off ers a reliable. simple SOiL111011 tO YOUr long distance worries. For one lovv monthly fee. We provicle 24 110L]r liassle-free calling. easy dialing. fast. friendly custonner ser-vice and savings galore. JUSt try Lis and see how easy saving money can be. Act now to take advantage of our free 7 day trial offer. Don*1 wait-call today.1 LONG DISTANCE... MADELOCAL i-eliâble chi)ice fin-flât nite vlllm r IE CCESS L TD. 71&7000 Plus applicable taxes, Other options and business rates available. e ti cornie books, cardboard puzzles (lesu than 50 pieces), games, playing cards, crayons and col- ounngbok (new or used). Cal1MarvWood at 430-1653 or JooMaial at 668-5504. Te next meeting of Innushare will be on Thursday. March 23, 7-30 at 239 Weligo St., An aiert, off-duty Metro Toronto police officer called Dur- ham police after spotting a stoien car near his Whitby home Sun- Duam police were sent to Harris Street around 6:35Jp.r. and were rnet by the er officer, who pointed out the sus- p ects, two maies and two females. As a result of his information, two young offenders -- a 14-. year-oid Courticeboiy and a 16- year-old B3owmanville boy --were arrested and charged with theft and possession of stoien property ____NOTICE 0F Aicu SPECIAL MEETING Please take notice that a SPECIAL MEETING 0f members of AMCU Credit Union Inc. wiIl be held on Monday, March 27,1.995 at the Sheraton Toronto East Hotel & Towers, 2035 Kennedy Road, (Salon "A"), Scarborough, Ontario commencing at 7:30 p.m. (registration 6:30 p.m.) The purpose of this SPECIAL MEETING is: to consider a resolution to transfer the assets of AMCU Credit Union Inc. to HEPCOE Credit Union Limited in accordance with the ternis and conditions of an Agreement dated March 1, 1995. Under the provisions 0f paragraph 3.06 of our by-laws, 35 members present at any duly called membership meeting shall constitute a quorum and ail business referred to in the notice of meeting can be dealt with. Section 203 (7) of the Credit Unions and Caisses Populaires Act requires the Agreement to transfer the assets of AMCU Credit Union Inc. be approved by at least two-thirds vote of the membeis present at the meeting. Upon approval of two-thirds of the members present at the meeting, the Agreement is binding and the transfer will be completed in accordance with the terms of the Agreement. Dated at Scarborough this 7th day 0f Mamch, 1995. Secretary Innushare, the Whitby-based volunteer group supporting Innu famiilles living at DvsIniet, Labrador, is seeking sterage space. For the past two years, tho0 donations and fund-rais- img events, the group has regu- lariy sent ciothinig, toys, towels, footwear and other items reques- ted )>y the Davis Iniet corn- rnunity health office. Space is now needed te store items. For the March-April shipment, Innushare is seeking donations of Easter candy and chocolates, Car stolen A 1969 Corvette 427 L88 engine valued, at $6,000 was ste- len ini a break-in Sunday at Ronco Automotive. Police discovered the break-in after responding te an alarm at the 2020 Wentworth St. E. busi- ness and finding the front door glass had been srnashed. Police say the theft occurred ornetime between 8:30 and 8:45 P.m.