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Police impounding of signs spurs threat of legal action
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More from Local NewsA private security company says it might take legal action if the city of Ventura does not return — without fines — seven mobile advertisements towed away because of alleged parking violations.
Police impounded the Lone Star Security and Video signs several weeks ago after some residents complained the mobile advertisements had been parked in the same place for more than 72 hours, in violation of a city ordinance, Ventura police Lt. David Wilson said.
The signs read, "Ventura P.D. will not respond half the time to your burglar alarm! Lone Star Security will respond 24 hours a day seven days a week."
The message refers to a January policy change by the Police Department. From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Ventura police respond to burglar alarms only when the alerts are confirmed by an alarm company, a surveillance device or an officer.
Lone Star regional manager Bruce Boyer contends his signs were inappropriately targeted because they look like unhitched trailers, which cannot be stored legally on city streets. He said the signs are permanently attached to wheeled carriages and are not trailers and that he moved them within the 72-hour period, but police disagree.
If the city refuses to return the signs without towing charges and other penalties, Boyer said, he will file a lawsuit demanding $150 per sign per day, to compensate for the loss of advertising.
Ventura's ordinance requires vehicles to be moved at least two-tenths of a mile during a 72-hour period, Wilson said. Police officers had the signs towed after determining they had not been moved.
"I believe he (Boyer) just disagrees with our ordinance. We feel that it applies. We enforce that ordinance as we do with anyone else in the city," Wilson said.
Posted by I_LOVE_VENTURA on July 26, 2007 at 5:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Can't this guy get in trouble for false advertising?! Ventura PD WILL respond to the alarms if they are confirmed. Is Mr. Boyer saying that he will send out little armed security guards in place of police officers from 7pm to 7am? That thought is frightening!
Besides, I've seen these signs in the same place for over 72 hours! I see them all over town and they are quite unattractive. They look like litter of sorts!
Posted by AnaCapa on July 26, 2007 at 6:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I've seen one of those signs in the same spot for weeks on Telephone Rd.
Posted by sokol_kiev on July 26, 2007 at 8:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Lone Star Security and Video is threatening to sue for $150 per sign per day to compensate for loss of advertising? Oh Please! The cost this security company has incurred in towing charges and fines is nothing compared to the all the FREE advertising they are getting by their lawsuit threat via it's media attention. This security company is going to milk this media attention for all it's worth simply for the PR value alone. Good for the Ventura P.D. for enforcing the city's code. And I hope the City of Ventura does not back down and takes on this security company, even if it has to be done in a courtroom!
Posted by johnz on July 26, 2007 at 9:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
i too have seen these obnoxious signs all over town and if they are getting towed for violating the 72 hour restrictions then good for the city and the police for enforcing this. personally, i think his signs are misleading people by saying the cops won't respond. of course they respond to confirmed alarms like i_love_ventura stated. give me a break, and yea, what exactly will this guy do, send out a security guard to every false alarm, or worse, what happens when it is a true alarm and the cops show up and see some armed guy inside or outside and they (the cops) may have no idea if it is a robber or a security guard. that could get ugly real fast
Posted by johnz on July 26, 2007 at 9:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
and another thing how does a story like this even make the news? the guy has not even filed a lawsuit, he is only threatening a suit and yet it is a story? come on vc star, for once can you do a story on something positive that the cops/city are doing.
Posted by smithjc on July 26, 2007 at 10:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
johnz, it is about something positive vpd is doing. they are towing eyesores that are parked on city streets in violation of city ordinance. this is the same ordinance that allows them to store other vehicles left for more than 72 hours, like the one belonging to the redneck down the way that's up on blocks in the street. i wonder how many collisions and near collisions have been caused by people trying to read these signs instead of watching where they are going.
Posted by Ventuckey on July 26, 2007 at 10:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Bawhahahahah! This is great news. The company is from the Valley and I've seen at least 3 tickets on each trailer before they were towed away. Now they actually put more trailers out on the east side of town, after the others got towed. The law states you cannot have a trailer unattached on city streets. I'm glad they got towed, keep your tacky advertising in Reseda where you belong! They must have thousands in fines. Good job Star.
Posted by dabien on July 26, 2007 at 10:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
$150 per day? This guy paid $300 at most for each of these signs then parks these eyesores for FREE on city streets and he's claiming he's out $150/day? preposterous. He's skirting around sign ordinances at best, and spreading misinformation about VPD response policies to boot.
Posted by rebel123 on July 27, 2007 at 3:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Shoot, I wish they'd tow the hunk of junk motor home that has been parked on my street in the same spot....actually takes up at least two spots....for over a month now!
Posted by AnnaWhaat on July 28, 2007 at 8:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
rebel23,Just keep calling them each day a couple of times a day and hopefully they will get rid of it. Tow it !!!!!! That is unreal leaving it there for over a month !!! If you call enough ,they will come !!!! (hopefully)
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