Parade Fans Upset About South Side Towing Spree

CHICAGO (CBS) -- First pride, then punishment for some people at the South Side Irish Parade.

More than a dozen families claim their cars were towed but shouldn't have been.

CBS 2's Dana Kozlov went to get some answers in this original report.

Sunday's South Side Irish Parade is now billed as a friendly family affair.

Not so friendly?

The dozen or more families whose cars were towed from this Western Avenue start of the route  lot during the parade.

"Oh, it's a total trap," says Burr Ridge resident Catherine Greenspon who was among the towed.

She parked near Marquette Bank, near signs with Monday through Saturday restrictions only.

So did Guadalupe Figueroa.

And Josie Jackuz.

"And it clearly (says) bank hours. It's Sunday so we left," says Jackuz. "And we were in disbelief when we got back."

Their cars all towed by Rapid Recovery.

Its driver stating the signs are clear.

Signs like this one.

All others, the women say, located out of sight.

"We have parked here for the last three years. So this is the first year that we were actually towed," says Figueroa.

Adding insult, despite postings, the tow truck driver told them cash only.

"It's just frustrating that we have a wonderful event in our community, welcoming our neighbors from everywhere and something as absurd as this happens," says 19th Ward Alderman Matthew O'Shea.

So to Rapid Recovery we went for answers.

A representative who didn't want to be recorded went on to say we needed to ask the owner about the hard to read sign, why they didn't take credit cards Sunday and why they decided to tow during a parade.

However he wouldn't give CBS 2 the owner's name or number in order to ask those questions.

A bank official says he's also bothered by the towing, adding another company owns the lot.

We tried to contact that company about Sunday's towing spree but no one was in the office and our calls weren't returned.