Plaintiffs say 'repo' company made false statements in answering complaint

A Jefferson County, Mo. couple is accusing a Granite City repossession company of making false and misleading statements in their case against the company.

Plaintiffs Todd and Stacey Hindrichs filed a lawsuit against United Repossessors Inc. (URI) of Granite City in June, alleging wrongful repossession of their 2005 Jeep Cherokee at their Missouri home in February.

United removed the case to U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois on July 16 on the basis of diversity jurisdiction, which the plaintiffs claim the company knew to be false.

The plaintiffs request an order, awarding the plaintiff attorneys fees, and sanctions.

A first amended complaint named defendant Maerhanda Rolens, Phillip Wahby and Scott Hopfinger, agents of United Repossessors, who went to the Hindriches home to repossess the Jeep Cherokee on Feb. 22.

The plaintiffs claim their account was current.

According to the complaint, Todd Hindrichs told Rolens and Wahby to leave his property.

Rolens told Hindrichs, “it doesn’t matter what the finance company said, we are taking this vehicle," the complaint states. Rolens also allegedly said, “If we don’t take the vehicle, we don’t get paid, and we’re getting paid tonight."

The Hindriches seek an excess of $50,000.

Defendant URI, in its answer to the second amended complaint, states the plaintiff was in default of his loan from Defendant T.D. Auto Finance.

“Without waiting the general denial herein, Defendant UR LLC states that all actions taken against plaintiffs were commercially reasonable and in compliance with U.C.C," URI states.

Madison County case number 12-L-767.