Marathon runners returned to find cars towed from a St. Paul parking lot

Dozens of people who ran or attended the Twin Cities Marathon in St. Paul, Minnesota, found their cars had been towed from a former Sears property.

The site had offered free marathon parking in previous years, but its ownership and management had changed.

Rondo Community Land Trust had taken over the property, and Guardian Recovery Services managed the lot.

One runner said she was charged $399 to get her car back, and had to pay in cash.

Another runner said he paid through a posted QR code but his car was towed anyway; he said the company returned it after he showed proof of payment.

Rondo said it did not know the site was being used for marathon parking or that cars were being towed, and that organizers had not contacted it.

Rondo later said it would end its relationship with the towing company.