Christian and Jeanette Torres discovered their pickup truck was stolen Friday morning. A police officer knocked on their apartment door. He told them thieves took it overnight as they slept.
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The crooks then drove it into the Kingwood Medical Center, where they unsuccessfully tried to steal an ATM. According to the couple, investigators told them they could pick up their truck at an impound lot off the Hardy Tollway.
They were surprised when they arrived and were presented with a more than $230 bill.
"My truck was used in a crime. I feel I'm being victimized again," said Christian Torres. "Now that I'm here to get my vehicle, they want to charge me a fee to get my truck out."
Houston police told ABC13 they had the vehicle towed away from the scene. No one came to retrieve it. The Torres family said investigators told them they needed time to process it.
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The two racked up a wrecker, city, and impound fees. Eyewitness News reached the storage lot's owner. He said he'd gladly waive his $20 fee. However, the other fees are outside of his control and part of the bureaucratic process.
"We don't have the money to get our truck. We don't have the money to fix it," said Jeanette Torres. "I don't think it's fair that our vehicle was stolen."
Eyewitness News reached out to the Houston Police Department for comment. A spokesperson said it's the victim's responsibility to cover the towing costs. There are no descriptions of the suspects.
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