Towed Despite Displaying Parking Permit

[joshm1]

Hello everyone,
I live in Maryland State and was towed very early Saturday Morning (3AM EST). I live in an apartment complex where visitor spots are clearly labeled "Visitor" and all others are for residents who need to have a sticker placed on the window to represent a permit. I just bought the car and recently went into the leasing office to get my permit and placed my sticker above the driver side windshield where the very minimal stock tint is for sun shielding. They took two pictures are required by law and both are taken with very poor camera very pixelated and being that it is 3 AM the glare with the darkness basically renders everything in the sun shielding spot invisible and black. They also reported it to the local county police as required so all is good there. Now tomorrow morning I am going to pick my vehicle up and point out the parking permit which will be there I remember putting it there last week. So for whatever reason maybe the tow driver was tired and did not notice it or maybe he is just incompetent is this a violation of the law? I mean if I have every legal right to park here, have my permit clearly posted in the top corner of my vehicle where it should be posted, isn't what they did grand theft auto? I have to take off work tomorrow (as well as my roommate) to pick up my car and this has inconvenienced me greatly. Not to mention the amount of anger and stress I have from this situation... What are my rights here as a resident and what do I have to do to make sure this does not happen again to me or any one else for that matter? Thanks for any help here.

[Mr. Knowitall]

When you pick up the car, make sure that somebody from the tow company goes out to your car with you so you can show him the parking sticker in its proper place and take pictures that document that it was that way before you regained possession.

An erroneous tow is not 'grand theft auto'.

[joshm1]

Thanks Mr.Knowitall, but what do we have to protect us from "erroneous towing" it is just crappy that I have to go through this because of someones mistake. I have to sit at home all day today it ruined my attitude today and tomorrow I lose out on a sick day/vacation day I think it is just absurd that the company can just say "Oh my bad" and all is forgiven.. Not to mention I should probably demand they take my car back and drop it off where they towed it from (which they more than likely won't do). I mean let's face it most towing companies are scum and they predatory tow and I feel like a victim of an abusive tow company rushing their tows and not paying attention. If you tow a car you should take a flashlight out and look at every window and look for the sticker not take a picture with a camera I could buy from Rite Aid for 10 dollars and assume its good enough to prove the tow was justified. On top of all this I feel violated, the car I drive was hitched up and towed, was it damaged underneath? I don't know I am no mechanic but who knows if he hooked it up right or did he hook it up and screw up my axle, etc? I am just really blown away by the entire situation and want to know what my legal rights are here. If they deny me my car tomorrow without payment ( an my parking permit is clearly in the corner) can i call the police for auto theft? I wish I knew more about the law on this. Thanks for your help again.