CBS2 Gets Action: N.J. Woman Gets Stolen Car Back; Demands For Fees Dropped

BLOOMFIELD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A Bloomfield, New Jersey woman's car was stolen, and police wanted her to pay to get it back.

But CBS2 demanded answers and got action, as CBS2's Dick Brennan reported exclusively Friday.

Jolie Higazi has finally gotten her 1998 Honda Civic back. Unfortunately, she had to have it towed to her house, because the thieves who took it nearly a month ago did not leave it in working order.

"I'm getting my car back," she said. "Whoever stole it, you know, the ignition's not working."

But after what Higazi has been through, she is just happy to be off the hook for hundreds of dollars.

Her car was taken from in front of her Bloomfield home on July 16. It was found a day later, but nobody told Higazi.

So it sat for weeks until Higazi was finally told to pick it up – as long as she paid $800 in storage fees. She turned to CBS2.

"Nobody wants to help me," she told CBS2's Brennan on Wednesday.

So CBS2 went demanding answers. The Essex County Sheriff's Department said Bloomfield police were to blame, but Bloomfield police said they were never notified the car was found.

But everyone agreed a mistake was made.

It turned out Bloomfield Councilman Joe Lopez was watching the story on CBS2 Wednesday, and he too was outraged.

"I thought it was an injustice," he said. "I thought it wasn't her fault."

Lopez got the fees reduced to $200 and then raised the rest.

"I went and put a portion in myself, and I told several friends about this, and they said that they were willing to continue the rest," Lopez said.

And when the tow company found of what happened, they dropped all the fees. Now, Higazi has her car, and didn't have to spend a cent to get it back.

"I'm really grateful, very grateful to CBS," she said, "They helped me get my car back."

And as for the money that Lopez raised to pay the fees, he gave it to Higazi to help her repair the car.