Woman Upset With Chicago Finance Department After Car Is Towed During The Night; Wants A Refund

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A woman's fight to get her car back from the city who hauled it away in the middle of the night. But according to her, she had another day to pay her fines, but got towed anyway.

She's telling her story to CBS 2's Steven graves.

"My little Corolla was right here."

That is until Dee Cummings says early this morning in Humboldt Park on Drake Avenue, before the sun even rose, her husband noticed they were in the process of towing her car.

"I was upset. I was upset, yeah, to say the least," Cummings said.

That reaction because in the days prior a back and forth with Chicago's finance department after the city booted her car two days ago for two late ticket payments.

"Everything that was said to me on the phone was the same thing that came through my email letting me know I had until October 8," Cummings said.

In the email, it says she needs to begin her payment plan by October 8 in person, and she thought she had until the end of the business.

"My intention was to make it there today," Cummings said.

The City's Streets and Sanitation department confirms bringing her vehicle to the impound lot around 1:30 a.m., and now she's paying for more fees.

"Instead of a mere $125, I'm at $275."

The city's finance department in a statement told CBS 2 that people have 24 hours to make a down payment after the boot goes on, or they tow the car, and a sticker says that. It also states if an extension is granted, which in this case it was, the motorist has 48 hours from the time the boot was placed on the vehicle to take the required action."

Cummings says she did not request an extension, adding more to the confusion.

They could not explain why the email she received had the October 8 date, and no mention of an exact time for the deadline.

Meaning, they could put it on and take your car as you sleep.

But Cummings now wants a refund.

"I have hope because I need my car. I just kind of have to do what I have to do. I just want others to know," Cummings said.

Hoping they can learn from her towing tale.