In August David Toomey said his car was towed by Parking Enforcement Systems (PES) and an employee flashed a gun at him. Two months later he said the company is still antagonizing both him and his credit card company as he tries to get his money back.

In late August, Toomey and his wife parked in the 2nd Avenue lot across the street from The Collins Bar. Because his ParkMobile app was “having issues,” Toomey said he paid at the kiosk without realizing the receipt had to be placed in his window. A couple of hours later, the Toomeys returned from dinner to find their vehicle gone.

“I’m walking back from dinner and just briefly noticed the parking lot was a whole lot emptier than we left it and kept walking,” Toomey said. “And sure enough, our car was gone. So, I knew, unless there’s a huge gang organization stealing everyone’s cars, it’s probably the tow company.”

The parking lot across from The Collins Bar has been a frequent feature in PES towing stories as the Lede previously reported. Jefferson County property tax records for 2023 show that Robert Crook owns the lot as well as several other properties in downtown Birmingham.

Crook did not respond to requests for comment from the Lede.