Business Up For The Repo Man

Higher gas prices may be fueling car and truck repossessions.  News On 6 anchor Latoya Silmon reports one recovery center says since the gas gauge has gone up so has business.

What once was someone's pride and joy now sits idle.

"We pick up 10 to 15 vehicles a day," said Sam Baker of Baker Recovery.

The cars are painful reminders that some drivers may have gotten in over their heads.

"A lot of people decide they might of made a mistake," said Baker. 

 Sam Baker of Baker Recovery says repossession is dangerous work.

"We've been shot at. We try to avoid confrontation or altercation with the debtors.  We try to repo peacefully; although, some people will do whatever they need to to keep their car from being repossessed," said Baker.

Baker says smaller cars used to pack his lot, but now he's seeing more and more SUVs and large trucks.

"Now with the fuel prices, it's something everybody is looking at it.  It's more expensive to feed the larger vehicles every week," said Baker.

He says gas guzzlers now make up 40% of his daily pickups.  With prices going up, business will probably continue to roll in, but it comes at price

"Even my business is really not profitable because of the fuel prices affecting me.  We have to go out and find these vehicles and most of the wreckers get 10 to 12 miles a gallon," said Baker.

Baker says no one really wins.

"I don't like to see people down on their luck.  My first day of doing this it brought tears to my eyes," said Baker.

Baker says he's barely making a profit because he spends $10,000 to $12,000 a month on gas.