Squadrons work to stop base members from abandoning vehicles Published May 3, 2012 By Staff Sgt. Daryl Knee 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- Two squadrons within the 52nd Mission Support Group recently designed a plan to lower the number of abandoned or illegally parked vehicles here. The 52nd Security Forces Squadron and the 52nd Force Support Squadron are working together to identify abandoned vehicles, notify the owner, and if no action is taken, tow the vehicles to the base impound lot. Nearly 80 vehicles have been identified as abandoned since the beginning of March, with one week having as many as 16 vehicles, said Senior Police Officer Andreas Gerlach, 52nd SFS abandoned vehicle monitor. Gerlach said when a patrol officer notices a seemingly abandoned vehicle parked in the same area, the officer can issue a Defense Department Form 2504, Abandoned Vehicle Notice. There is also an information sticker on the form which reads, "Your vehicle is considered abandoned. We urge removal as soon as possible. Contact SFS at 452-7345. Should the vehicle remain abandoned at this location, impoundment actions will be initiated within three days." Additional notifications are sent to vehicle owners and their first sergeants should the owners not move their vehicles within those three days. The owner will then have to report to the security forces investigations office for further instructions. "Take care of each other," Gerlach said of people who go on vacation or temporary duty. "If you know someone is going TDY, let them know about these procedures. Get a power of attorney or do something so as not to get the vehicle towed." FSS's Auto Hobby Shop partnered with SFS to supply the towing services, and there is a $95 towing fee for the owner to retrieve the vehicle from the impound lot. Some of the money pays for the operations costs of the towing truck, and the remainder feeds into the non-appropriated funds for the base. "The intent of the program is to support the security forces squadron to move abandoned vehicles," said Tony Williams, auto hobby shop manager. "Originally, they used an off base contractor, but by using the auto hobby shop, it allows the money to stay inside the base." Base long-term parking is available for vehicle owners who know they will soon leave for temporary duty. There are two parking lots: One is near Bldg. 103, and the other is located behind the Eifel Lanes Bowling Center. However, an approval letter from police services must be displayed prominently upon the dashboard. The auto hobby shop also has long-term parking available to base members who have registered their vehicles as non-operable. This allows vehicle owners time and availability to complete needed repairs. Having vehicles parked in those long-term parking areas is also a safety requirement, Gerlach said. A gas tank can rust and begin leaking, other fluids may leak into the soil and the vehicle's placement could hinder traffic flow. Security forces members also look at abandoned vehicles for force-protection reasons -- suspiciously parked vehicles may be an early sign of attack. "We're doing our job to make the base safe," Gerlach said. "It's not for fun, and we're not playing jokes. We're doing this for safety." For more information about abandoned vehicles or long-term parking, call DSN 452-7345. For more information about the auto hobby shop's towing service or non-operable parking, call DSN 452-6842.