I stole my own car out of an impound lot.

My parking lot requires that every vehicle displays a residential parking permit. I left the permit in a rental car and after returning it, forgot that I needed one in my own car. I parked it in the lot overnight one weekend and tow truck came sometime around 4am and took the car.

Sunday morning I realized that I had been towed. Calling the tow company confirmed this and they wanted $200 to get it out.

That afternoon I walked two miles to the impound lot and saw my car sitting in the lot with a parking ticket on the windshield. The gate was locked and no one was in the office. The yard was surrounded by an 8-foot cyclone fence. After pacing around the lot for a bit, I noticed that the section of fence next to the gate was only fastened with wire and a few bolts and brackets. I thought it would only take a few minutes of work to remove, so I got to work using only a Gerber multitool I keep on my belt. I took a break after each bolt and looked around and stopped if I heard cars approaching. No one was around aside from the cars occasionally driving by. I was eventually able to lay the section of fence down on the ground and get to my car. At this point I was nearly shitting myself with anxiety because the tow driver could have showed up at any time. The only backup plan I had was to get in my car and lay down in the back if they showed up.

I got in, started the engine and drove over the downed section of fence. I made sure not to park it anywhere near my house that night.

An hour or two after I left the impound lot they called and asked if I was the owner of the car. When I said yes the man sternly told me that I had until 8pm to bring him his money or he was going to lock me up. I told him I didn't know what he was talking about and he hung up with a gasp of frustration.

I won.