Baltimore Pays Woman After Police Mistakenly Sell Truck


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A Baltimore resident recently received over $51,000 in compensation after city police mistakenly auctioned her Toyota Tacoma that was initially seized for a homicide investigation in 2022.

Mary Pat Staron discovered the error when she went to retrieve her vehicle in August 2023, following police clearance. City officials explained to the spending board that a clerical error had resulted in the truck being processed without a police hold at the Department of Transportation’s depot.

Following standard city protocol, the vehicle was put up for auction after remaining unclaimed for 11 days, though Staron hadn’t been notified about its availability for pickup. The truck fetched $22,000 at auction, leaving the city with a substantial net loss of $29,141.

The settlement covered not only the vehicle’s value but also compensated Staron for loan and insurance payments she continued making while her truck was in police custody.

This incident prompted a subsequent audit by the Baltimore Comptroller of the police department’s towing procedures. The findings revealed significant procedural failures, with 53% of vehicle owners not receiving mandatory notifications within two business days of their cars being towed. The remaining cases lacked documentation confirming timely notification.

Auditors warned that, “Vehicle owners may miss the opportunity to retrieve their cars before they are auctioned off, which could raise constitutional concerns.”

The investigation also uncovered inadequate tracking of towing service invoices and failures to enforce the 20-minute response time requirement for towing companies.

While government auctions can serve a legitimate purpose in managing public resources and generating revenue, this incident highlights the crucial importance of proper verification of ownership before disposal of seized property.

 

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