Last night I parked my car in a parking lot designated for Town & Country Village shopping center patrons & then walked into McCormick & Schmick's Seafood & Steaks. I didn’t go anywhere else in the area….just parked my car & entered the restaurant.McCormick & Schmick’s, for those that don’t already know, is part of Town & Country Village shopping center.You see, I follow the rules; it’s just how I roll. I drive the speed limit, I wear my seatbelt, I use my turn signal, & I adhere to posted directives.Anyway, you can probably already guess what happens next, so I’ll spare you the suspense. When I walked out of the restaurant a couple of hours later, I went STRAIGHT from the restaurant to where my car was, & my car was nowhere to be found. It was late, I was alone, I was cold (my jacket was in my car) & I was relieved to see 2 police officers parked in a car nearby. They informed me that Town & Country Village shopping center employs a monitored video surveillance service that watches shoppers park their cars & as soon as they step foot on the property of the neighboring business, City Centre, they radio any number of tow trucks that are standing by in Town & Country Village, ready to tow away the offending vehicle. But, as I previously mentioned, I NEVER LEFT Town & Country Village Shopping Center. I parked my car in THEIR lot & while I spent my money in one of THEIR restaurants, they were thanking me for my patronage by towing my car. Nice. Although I think it’s creepy that they stalk shoppers & diners in this way, I was relieved to hear it as it meant there was proof that what I was saying was true. When I phoned the towing company, they agreed (at my insistence) to have the video reviewed. Quite some time later…. I’m still standing stranded in the parking lot...a tow truck pulls into the lot, drops my car in the middle of it & drives away. The driver of the Elite Towing Svcs tow truck never said a word. Nothing. The ordeal was strange, frustrating & disappointing. I will not be going back.
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