Jun 10, 2009 10:43 pm US/Central
State Asks For Your Help Catching Meter Cheaters
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Secretary of State Police are asking for help from the public to turn in meter cheaters, so a special link has been created on its website where the public can report offenders.
CBS
We all hate feeding parking meters, but some people have figured out a way to park for free. They're using placards meant to help the disabled. But now, the state is cracking down on the problem. CBS 2 Investigator Dave Savini exposes the meter cheaters and how you can help stop them.
Catching meter cheaters is tough. It takes hours of surveillance, checking placard numbers and waiting for drivers to appear.
Fraudulent use of these placards is rampant because by having one, you park for free at any meter in the state.
Bill Bogdan works for the Secretary of State's office.
"Unfortunately it happens all too often," Bogdan said.
He says a special team of investigators has confiscated numerous phony placards, including some created in print shops and on computers.
It's an example of the lengths people will go to get a free parking space.
"It's amazing, isn't it?" Bogdan said. "Especially in downtown Chicago, people are significantly resorting to this type of fraud to avoid paying the parking meters."
Bogdan says the temptation to get a free space and the increasing rates to park has far too many people trying to cash in on using placards that are phony, stolen or belong to relatives, both alive and dead.
One woman hiding her face told police she found the one she was caught using.
Secretary of State Police are now asking for help from the public. They want people to turn in meter cheaters, so a
special link has been created on its website where the public can report offenders.
"We investigate all the complaints that we turn around and receive regarding the program, but you know you have to be at the right place at the right time to catch the individual," Bogdan said.
A tip helped catch one meter cheater. This driver used a disabled placard even though a death certificate shows it's registered to her deceased mother. Police say Jean Fritz of Rolling Meadows now faces a $500 fine and her driver's license has been suspended pending a hearing.
CBS 2 caught her repeatedly using her dead mother's placard to park for free on Wells Street.
At $3.50 an hour of eight hours a day, a year's worth of parking would cost more than $7,000.
Savini: "We watched the car on many occasions down here with the placard in the window and no payment for parking. Do you agree it's wrong?"
Jean Fritz: "I guess. That's what they're saying so I won't be using it anymore because he's taking it away. I really don't have anything else to say."
Savini: "How about you're sorry?"
Jean Fritz: "Yeah, I'm sorry."
CBS 2 has received dozens of tips on more offenders in the last few hours.
Also, starting tonight, the Secretary of State's office has set up a special link on its website for you to report meter cheaters to their investigators. You can report someone anonymously.
Click here to report someone who may be wrongfully using placards to get free parking.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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