Tags Expired vs. Registration Expired

[DIV]

My question involves towing laws for the State of: North Carolina/Maryland

My car was recently towed from my own parking lot. It was towed on 06/06/09. The reason they stated that it was towed was expired tags, but while my tags said 05/09, the registration did not expire until 06/15/09 (also the new registration was sitting in the front seat, I just hadn't had a chance to put the new tag on my plates yet, but that's pretty moot).

So I have 2 questions:

This towing company just trolls the area. No one called them about my car, they just picked it up and ransomed it back to me. Is this legal for them to tow a car without being called? It seems like auto theft to me, regardless of if my tags were 6 days out of date or not.

If it is legal for them to take my car without being asked, do I get some sort of grace period? Like, until my registration expires? I would have put my tags on immediately if I thought they expired before my registration, but, at least in NC, they come together, so I thought they would expire together.

It's an NC registration but it was towed in MD (long story), if that matters.

Thanks.

[Mr. Knowitall]

This, presumably, is by agreement with your landlord. What did your landlord say when you asked about this towing company? What does your lease say about parking a vehicle with expired tags? What do any signs posted in the parking lot, or at its entrance, say about when vehicles might be towed?