The Abandoned Vehicle Unit responds to all complaints regarding vehicles that are abandoned on the roadways of Ross Township and those left abandoned on private property. Patrolman David Young oversees the disposition of the abandoned vehicle complaints. Abandoned Vehicles are defined by the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code as:

      1) Any vehicle that is left physically inoperable and is left unattended
on a highway or other public property for more than 48 hours.
  
   2)  The vehicle has remained illegally on a highway or other public
property for more than 48 hours.                                          

          3)  The vehicle is left unattended on or along a highway or other public
                property for more than 48 hours and does not bear ALL of the following:

 (a) Valid Registration Plate
           (b) Valid Certificate of Inspection
(c) An Ascertainable VIN

     4)  The vehicle has been left on private property without permission
   for more than 48 hours.                                                            

 

If a complaint is made regarding a vehicle and it meets the above listed criteria, Patrolman Young will leave an Abandoned Vehicle Notice Sticker on the window of the vehicle that gives the vehicle owner notice that the vehicle must be removed within 7 days. If the vehicle owner fails to remove the vehicle within that 7 day period, the vehicle will be removed by the Ross Police Department.

	Vehicles illegally parked on private property may be immediately removed  by initiating a “Private Property Tow Request” through the Ross Police Department. A Ross Police Officer will come to the property and issue a citation for the parking violation. The Ross Police will contact a contract tower to remove the vehicle. It will be the property owner’s responsibility to pay all   removal fees to the contract tower at the time of removal. When the vehicle    owner retrieves the vehicle from the contract tower, the property owner will be reimbursed all fees by the contract tower.

	The Abandoned Vehicle Unit and Ross Township Code Enforcement aggressively enforce Ross Township’s “Junk Vehicle Ordinance”. It is unlawful for any person to keep or store and junk vehicle, junk parts, trailers, or other equipment on private property that is zoned residential and/or commercial in Ross Township for a period more than 48 hours. A junk vehicle is defined as any vehicle outside of a fully enclosed building which is not physically operable or without valid registration or inspection. If you know of any vehicles in violation of this ordinance, you may reach The Abandoned Vehicle Unit at the following:

 

Ross Police Department
ATTN: Abandoned Vehicle Unit
1000 Ross Municipal Drive Pittsburgh, Pa. 15237
412-931-9070 x659