This is a scam business. Mason's Towing provides towing services for some of the restricted parking lots in Annapolis, MD - home to the US Naval Academy; a significant tourist destination that depends on a steady flow of visitors to spend money at its legitimate local establishments; a city that is also home to numerous people who are deeply affected by the downturn in the economy. I made the mistake of parking at a building on 201 West Street in Annapolis, where I often do business (my wonderful oral surgeon, Dr. Lou Berman, who has an office in this location, has performed two root canals on me in that building). But on the day my car got towed, I was just next door. It was my fault for not realizing the adjacent facility did not share this lot - and there were lots of posted signs about this. I was in a hurry and was not paying attention. Again, my fault. But here's where I have a problem. Mason's Towing Service charged me $157 (demanded it in cash, BTW) - in exchange for towing my car to their protected lot A HALF-MILE away. I was nice to the guys at the desk (they're just poor shlubs working for the crook that runs this joint). I retrieved my car - it was filthy ( looked like Mason's took a dirty water bucket and poured mud water all over it - there's no way the ride just a few blocks away on dry city streets could have caused that). The IRS needs to look into this ""little"" cash-only operation. I counted *AT LEAST* 50 receipts when I showed up at the towing office - that's $7800+ a DAY. Annapolis is a tourist destination - but it becomes a *VERY* unfriendly one when it hires thugs to steal (yes STEAL) money like this from unsuspecting people like this. Even $100 for this would have been way too much. Visitors BEWARE. Mayor Josh Cohen, what are you going to do about this ugly problem?
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