I parked in a lot that shares a number of stores off of 3330 Piedmont Road NE. (with a Kroger, Starbucks, etc.) for about an hour and a half. After I returned to my car, there was a boot on it and a sticker on my window telling me to call the number provided to have the boot removed.
When I called, someone from "EPS" (Empire Parking Services) came to remove the boot. He told me to wait next to my car while he came. It was raining heavily, but I stood outside because I did not want to miss the employee; I had to get home to take care of some responsibilities.
When the EPS agent arrived, he said I had to pay $50.00 to remove the boot. I asked why I had received the boot in the first place. He said I had "left the premises." It wasn't clear that I had, and he provided no evidence of the alleged crime. But seeing as there was a torrential downpour and my pants and shoes were completely soaked at that point, and I had to return home, I paid the fine.
The employee didn't give his name and when I later looked at the sticker he had left on my car, no employee number was left for my records. When I called the number of the sticker the next day, the man on the phone was a different agent who rudely hung up on me when I asked for help identifying the agent who booted my car the previous day. When I called back and told him we got disconnected, he said "No, I hung up on you because it has nothing to do with me" and promptly hung up the phone again.
It's quite possible I "left the premises." I honestly don't know. If I did, I do not mind paying the fine, and certainly do not want to abuse the parking lot of the stores at the location (although I'd prefer a warning first since I didn't realize I was doing anything wrong). What felt horrible was being the victim of unethical, degrading and predatory parking enforcement.
Not only was no evidence of my crime provided, but there was a violation of due process. I will not be shopping there again with such rude and unethical parking lot management.
Stores beware. You are losing customers because of Empire Parking Services.
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