Mayor Bloomberg says NYPD detectives should start parking their cars legally instead of complaining about an Internal Affairs Bureau tow truck unit that has been towing their unmarked vehicles. "They can tell it to the judge or tell it to their precinct commander, and they'll work it out," Bloomberg told the Daily News. "The law should apply to everyone." more ›

It was 3:30 a.m. on Thursday when Shavit Mekeiten legally parked his Mitsubishi on East 41st Street near Second Avenue. But six hours later, DOT workers dug out the diplomats-only sign that had been behind Mekeiten's car and moved it fifteen feet—to create an extra spot for the New Zealand Consulate. Voilà! Mekeiten was now parked illegally, and an NYPD tow truck soon arrived to take the car away, despite bystanders' protestations. Doorman Nick Perkaj tells the Post he tried to reason with the tow-truck driver: "I know that car! They just moved the sign! The tow-truck driver just said, 'I don't give a f- - -,' and they towed the car." To get his Mitsubishi back from the Manhattan tow pound, Mekeiten had to pay the $185 tow fee and a $95 ticket for not having diplomatic plates. He tells the Post, "They're heartless. They have no conscience. They treated me like I shot someone. This is really, really unfair. I didn't do anything wrong." Earlier this month some NYPD tow truck drivers anonymously informed the Post that they're expected to meet a quota of four tows per day, and if they fall short they're punished with less overtime, assigned undesirable shifts, or have their time-off requests delayed. more ›