Shelby County Vehicle Impound Guide

Shelby County has no city-owned impound lot. After a 2020 debate over building one, Sidney opted instead to regulate its existing rotation of private tow operators — including Wreckers Towing & Recovery, Bushnell's Collision & Towing, and Pat & Jake's Towing — rather than take on the cost of running a facility itself. Which one ends up with a specific vehicle depends on which contractor was "next up" on the rotation at the exact moment of the arrest, so finding the car means calling the arresting agency's records division (Sidney PD or the Sheriff's Office) with the defendant's name, arrest date, and the approximate stop location.

A History of Predatory Fee Practices

Local debate over the rotation system wasn't academic. City officials have documented cases of tow operators intentionally delaying notification to lienholders specifically to let storage fees accumulate past the vehicle's actual value — at which point the tow yard could legally claim the title through forfeiture and auction the car. That history is part of why the city pushed for tighter fee regulation on its approved rotation list, including a proposed cap on daily storage.

Cash, Exact Change, No Exceptions

Private tow operators working police rotations in Shelby County almost universally refuse credit cards, debit cards, and personal checks for a police-initiated impound. Calling ahead to get the exact total, then bringing that precise amount in cash, avoids getting turned away over a large bill with no change available.

If the Owner Is in Jail

Tow yards release vehicles only to the registered owner. If that person is still in custody at the Shelby County Jail, a family member can't simply walk in and claim the car — the incarcerated owner has to sign a notarized release authorization from inside the jail, naming the specific person authorized to retrieve it. Photocopies get rejected; the original document, plus the retrieving party's own license and proof of insurance, are all required at the lot.

A Repeat Offense Changes the Rules Entirely

If the OVI is a repeat offense, the vehicle can become subject to a court-ordered immobilization instead of a standard release. In that case, the court issues a Journal Entry dictating exactly where and how the vehicle gets stored, which overrides the normal tow-yard release process entirely.