Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  12/09/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  We parked at ********* and went to a bakery. We decided to eat the pastries while walking around. After we finished eating, we went to another shop at ********* and took our time to browse and purchase items. When we went back to our car, it was gone. We went back to the bakery to see if they could help and they pointed us to a sign with the phone number of ******* towing company. Indeed they towed our car. We had to pay $210 to the towing company on top of the time and frustration trying to locate our car.I called ********* and the woman was ****. She said parking was only for customers. But we were customers, and of two shops there! She then said there were signs saying we had to stay in the complex. First, there was no sign near our car, secondly, there were no signs saying you can't walk around. As shown in the photo, it says "Unauthorized vehicles" will be towed. What does "unauthorized" mean? She said people could buy $1 worth of something and claim to be customers and walk off. I said I could show her my receipts. She said she didn't have time to argue with me and there was nothing she could do. If ********* posts vague signs to punish paying customers, I'll take my business elsewhere.

  Business response

  12/19/2024

  Please accept this response on behalf of RK Centers (RK).  RK is unaware of specifically who the Complainant is or which of RKs propertys the Complainant is alleging there is a lack of signage with respect to the potential for a customer to be towed for their unauthorized use of the parking lot. However, at all RK properties signage indicating the potential of an individuals vehicle to be towed if they either leave their car unattended after leaving the *************** and/or any unattended vehicles left beyond the Shopping Centers normal hours of operation to be towed.  Additionally, RK utilizes spotters to observe and confirm when a patron leaves their vehicle unattended without having utilized the ***************, often parking their car and leaving for the beach.  If ** receives a complaint from a patron regarding any alleged illegal or improper tow, it is RKs practice to verify via available footage and or the spotters knowledge of the incident the circumstances surrounding the tow. Upon verification of the circumstances surrounding the tow, individuals are referred to the contracted towing company for the location and requirements to retrieve the towed vehicle. 
  

  Customer response

  12/20/2024

   
  Complaint: 22662669
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  1. The signage posted (which I attached) didn't indicate that customers couldn't walk around and check out other shops in the shopping center and the entire strip of RK Centers. The business reply stated they have "signage indicating the potential of an individuals vehicle to be towed if they either leave their car unattended after leaving the *************** and/or any unattended vehicles left beyond the Shopping Centers normal hours of operation to be towed", but the sign we found simply said "unauthorized". Are shopping customers authorized or unauthorized? 

  2. Of course ********* isn't aware of who I am because when I called, I offered to show her my shopping receipts but she didn't want to continue the call. 

  The ********* we went to was *************************************************************************************** 

  Sincerely,
  
  Lily B

• Initial Complaint

  04/17/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  We parked our car at ****************** located at ************************************************************************************************* in the afternoon of 4/16/2024. While we were shopping at *********, our car was towed by Dolphin Towing and ***************** They hold our car as hostage and demanded $210 payment without clear explanation as why our car was towed and why the charges did not match the amount posted on the wall in their office! The only explanation they could offer was that we left the premise while parking at the shopping center. We did walk across street to check on the ***************** hotel and came back shortly and shopped at ********* for couple of hours. ******* claimed that signs everywhere in the shopping center, but sign was unclear as to what is untheorized vehicle! Did sign say anything about don't step out the premise even for a second?! Isn't it a shopping center for the consumers to park their car and shop??? Our intention was to shop at the shopping center but spotted hotel on the way, so we decide to have a quick check. The car was still there after our short walk, and it got towed away while we were shopping at premise! We believe this is an unethical business behavior and was a day light robbery! We demand Dolphin Towing refund the money they charged. Checking on ****** map, it seems a lot of people were victimized by this company. This outrage business practices must be stopped! Thank you for your help!

  Business response

  04/25/2024

  Please accept this response on behalf of RK Centers (RK).  RK was never previously contacted by Complainant prior to receipt of this BBB Complaint and disagrees with the factual allegations made therein.  The property identified by Complainant has prominently placed signage throughout the *************** indicating the potential of an individuals vehicle to be towed if they either leave their car unattended after exiting the *************** and/or any unattended vehicle left beyond the Shopping Centers normal hours of operation.  Additionally, RK utilizes spotters at this *************** to observe and confirm when a patron has left their vehicle unattended after exiting the ***************. As the Complainant admits in her complaint, she left her vehicle unattended after exiting the *************** and going to a hotel across the street.  If ** receives a complaint from a patron regarding any alleged illegal or improper tow, it is RKs practice to verify via available footage and or the spotters knowledge of the incident the circumstances surrounding the tow. Upon verification of the circumstances surrounding the tow, individuals are referred to the contracted towing company for the location and requirements to retrieve the towed vehicle.  Based on the circumstances relayed by the Complainant, there was sufficient justification for the vehicle to be towed pursuant to the operational requirements of the ***************.

  Customer response

  04/25/2024

   
  Complaint: 21589694
  
  I am rejecting this response because their actions have terrorized many tourists and residents.  They dont have any signs indicating that none should leave the premises even for a second regardless you are shopping and spending the money at the shopping center or not!  I can totally understand if we had parked car and walked away for long period of time and did not shop there at all, they could have the right to tow.  They were just just trying to grabbed money from everyone. This is a money making machine for RK Center and this has been happening for years!  We have not encountered this type of unethical business practices anywhere in the country!  We were day robbed, the worst experiences we ever had!  Please check online and see the experiences everyone had with this center and its towing service company!
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***************

• Initial Complaint

  02/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Upon arrival, there are ********** near the parking spots for a tow away zone. After shopping at the businesses in the plaza, I came outside, not 10 minutes later to find my vehicle had been stolen. The plaza has a scam running where they are wrongfully towing hundreds of cars in the plaza from people who are shopping. There are hundreds of reviews on their page about the scam. This needs to be put to a stop. After calling the establishment, the woman receiving the phone calls for RK Centers told me Id be wasting her managers time. I was denied speaking with a manager.

  Business response

  03/07/2024

  Please accept this response on behalf of RK Centers (RK).  RK is unaware of specifically who the Complainant is or which of RKs properties the Complainant is alleging there is a lack of signage with respect to the potential for a customer to be towed for their unauthorized use of the parking lot.  However, at all RK properties signage indicating the potential of an individuals vehicle to be towed if they either leave their car unattended after leaving the *************** and/or any unattended vehicles left beyond the Shopping Centers normal hours of operation to be towed.  Additionally, RK utilizes spotters to observe and confirm when a patron leaves their vehicle unattended without having utilized the ***************, often parking their car and leaving for the beach.  If ** receives a complaint from a patron regarding any alleged illegal or improper tow, it is RKs practice to verify via available footage and or the spotters knowledge of the incident the circumstances surrounding the tow. Upon verification of the circumstances surrounding the tow, individuals are referred to the contracted towing company for the location and requirements to retrieve the towed vehicle.  It is not RKs practice, nor practicable for complaints regarding tows to be brought to the direct attention of RKs senior management.

• Initial Complaint

  05/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  WHEN: Sunday, May 21, 2023 7:15-7:40am COMPLAINT: Car towed at 168th St. ***************** **. TOW COST: $145 TOW LOCATION: owned by RK Centers: *************************************************************************************************** *************** **************; ************************************* *************** informed me that they have met their requirement with a sign at the entrance of this plaza.My complaints: 1. Poor signage there were no signs anywhere where I parked. See photos. There were numerous cars in that lot early Sunday morning. And with only 2 places open which can hold limited customers (Einsteins Bagels and Patagonia), I can only guess that MANY cars get towed at this location.2. I took a walk across the street for 30 minutes with the intention of soliciting Patagonia and then going to Wings (opened at 8am). When I returned, the car was already towed. Am I not allowed to park at 7am on a Sunday and return in 30 minutes to solicit 2 businesses at this location? What if I solicited these businesses PRIOR to the walk, does that give RK Centers a right to tow my car???3. Overnight parking/beach parking for hours/ppl who park with no intention of soliciting a businessthese are valid towing opportunities for RK -- this alone gets them plenty of $'s! However, snapping up every car that parks there even for cars parked less than 45 minutes is simply a huge money maker for them. 4. As a patron of the shopping center, why am I not allowed to leave the premises and then return 30 minutes later when the store opens? My car was unjustly towed: a. Due to the severe lack of proper signage within this lot; b. the 30 minute timeframe the car was there; c. the lack of patrons at this particular time (7-8am). I would like the company to correct the signage problem and stop unjustly towing cars. This is an enormous money grubbing opportunity for them. I would like reimbursement of $145 for towing and $10 for the uber to go to the towing location.Thanks for your help.

  Business response

  06/06/2023

  The person whose car was towed admitted in their statement that they parked their car and walked off of the property across the street after parking.

  We have tow away signs posted at every entrance to the property as required by law.

  This car was properly towed.  

  Customer response

  06/13/2023

   
  Complaint: 20112812
  
  I am rejecting this response:

  My complaint was that my car was towed as there was not adequate signage in the parking lot. While RK centers may have signage at the entrance of the lot, there is no signage WITHIN the lot OR anywhere near where my car was parked (and then towed).

  The lack of signage indicates that they are purposefully trying to tow cars as a money making proposition. More signage is needed throughout the parking lot.

  In addition, while waiting for the vendors to open on that Sunday at 8am (Wings), I went for a walk and returned within 30 minutes to my car being towed. I had full intention of soliciting ******** Bagels AND Wings. I was a paying customer. I was NOT leaving my car there for an unreasonable time without soliciting a business. I was NOT using the lot for beach parking. I was going to solicit ********s and Wings upon my return. 30 minutes does NOT warrant a Car Towing...on a Sunday morning when the lot was nowhere near full. There were plenty of cars at the location. They couldn't possibly all fit in ********s at 7:30am. Were they also all towed??

  I think this is an insidious way to earn money off of local customers that live in the area. Clearly the lack of signage shows an intent to fool customers and make a fortune in car towing.

  I expect towing reimbursement due to the lack of signs within the entire lot. AND that RK Centers will increase signage going forward for the general public.

  Sincerely,
  
  *****************************

  Business response

  06/23/2023

  ********************** has admitted that he parked at the parking lot in our shopping center and walked across the street to either the beach or one of the buildings on the east side of the street.  He has written that he was not aware that his car was towed until he returned to the shopping center thirty minutes later.

  We have the required tow signs placed at all of the entrances to the shopping center.

  This tow was properly done by our tow company.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩