My driveway was blocked by an abandoned car for months – my neighbors tried to help get rid of it but nothing worked

A COUPLE tried to park in their garage when they discovered an abandoned SUV restricting access – it was nearly buried in weeds.

Her neighbor also reported the SUV to the police, but nothing happened.

9 News

9 News

9 News

Norma Robles tried to park her and her husband’s car in their Denver, Colorado garage one day last October when they discovered a teal early 1990s Ford Explorer SUV blocking their gate.

The car was covered in several layers of dust and dirty, and weeds had almost perfectly concealed the car.

“That’s the garage, so you can’t see it because there’s so many weeds,” she told NBC affiliate KUSA .

She said she’d been trying to get someone out there to cut the weeds away to make removal easier, but no one would take the job due to the vehicle.

“I’m trying to get somebody out here to cut the weeds, but I can’t with this thing in the way,” she said.

When the couple looked inside, there were plumbing supplies strewn across the rear seats and the stereo was on the ground, prompting her to think it was stolen .

She called the city’s 311 number to report the vehicle and called the non-emergency line to report the vehicle.

Her neighbor, Randy Redd, had also reported the vehicle to the 311 hotline for abandoned vehicles.

He said he hadn’t heard back, either.

“We call 311 ourselves, just let them know we see it too and left a message a couple of times, and then get no response from them either,” he said.

Ten months later, the vehicle is still blocking her driveway.

Last month she called the 311 number again and was told by a dispatcher to call the city’s Right of Way Enforcement Dispatch and report the vehicle.

A spokesperson for the agency told reporters that an inspector visited the site on June 11, and claimed to have not seen the Explorer.

That’s when Robles reached out to KUSA investigators.

Consumer Investigator Steve Steager called the department again, prompting another inspector to visit the property.

How to report an abandoned car

Reporting an abandoned vehicle is important for keeping city streets safe and clean

Not only is an abandoned car an eyesore, it’s also a hazard to the surrounding community as pests and rodents can take refuge in the interior, engine bay, or trunk.

Leaking fluids can be dangerous for the environment, as many vehicle fluids are toxic and can wreak havoc on ecosystems if they enter waterways.

They can also encourage crime with several cities like Oakland, California reporting that drug dealers may use them to hide and side drugs or weapons.

Abandoned vehicles can also lower property values.

Therefore, they’re worth Specific contact information for your city’s abandoned car hotline may vary, but the necessary information on the vehicle is the same.

When reporting an abandoned vehicle, police will need:

• The exact address of the vehicle
• Information on the steering column (broken, missing, intact, etc)
• Condition of the vehicle (severely damaged, windows broken, leaking fluids, missing body panels or doors, etc)
• Make and model
• Color
• Body style (pickup truck, SUV, sedan, etc)
• License plate number and state, if applicable
• VIN

Many cities will allow residents to report abandoned vehicles online through an online form, or it can be called in.

Source: ABC affiliate WPVI-TV

When the investigator spotted the SUV, they quickly called a tow truck.

The tow truck driver moved the Explorer into a street parking spot and told Steager they would report the vehicle as abandoned to the Sheriff’s Department.

Then, they said, it would be towed and impounded into a city lot.

Nancy Kuhn with the city’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure told reporters that Robels followed the best procedure by calling 311 – and normally residents don’t have to wait months to see a vehicle removed.

She confirmed that a DOTI agent would visit the site of an abandoned car, confirm it, and report it to the Sheriff’s Department for handling and processing.