Junk cars cause more problems than just creating eyesores

Junk cars are not just eyesores for some people in Troy, but they come at a cost to the police department as well.

The city has very specific rules for what constitutes a junk car, how it handles junk cars and processes complaints about junk cars.

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It is a violation of city ordinances if a vehicle is left on private or public property for more than 48 hours without permission or if a vehicle remains on a public street without being driven for more than 72 hours.

Other violations requiring police place a green notice sticker on the vehicle include whether the owner must provide proof of insurance or if the vehicle is not properly licensed.

Any vehicle that is disabled mechanically, dismantled, or inoperative must be kept in a fully enclosed structure.

"You go to different places like Wal-Mart, Speedway, Kroger and you just see cars with flat tires, broken down, just leave them stranded," said Ryan Stapleton, who works in Troy.

Cars that get a sticker and the problem is not addressed get towed.

The department must then mail certified letters to the owner to notify them and give them a chance to claim the vehicle. The department estimates that this costs about $1,000 per year and results in about 100 cars being destroyed annually.

"It's just frustrating, it's just the tax money," Stapleton said.

Stapleton said he wishes people would just properly take care of or dispose of their vehicles, so police didn’t have to use time and money to address the problem.

It not only costs the police department money but can become a hassle for towing companies that could end up with little to no money for storing the cars and waiting for paperwork to be processed.