UPDATE: After Air15 aired this story, Chandler police tell us they have since opened an investigation into the matter along with their property crimes detective. Our original story is below.
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A Chandler couple says they were ripped off by a moving company they recently hired.
Cindy Harrison says all the boxes were on the truck, the price agreed upon prior to the move, but what happened next left them in shock.
“I feel ripped off, and I’m also concerned for other citizens,” said Wayne Harrison, Cindy’s husband.
Cell phone video shows the couple confronting workers with iFamily Movers Thursday.
“He told us if we didn’t pay the money that he would not unlock the back of the truck and that we would never see our furniture again,” said Harrison.
She showed us the contract.
The agreement, $49 an hour, plus a 26 percent gas rate.
The items were being moved from one apartment to another in the same complex.
“It’s literally 100 yards away door to door,” said Wayne Harrison.
They say it took two to hours to load, that’s where things turned.
“We are 62-years-old and we’ve never had something like this happen to us before,” said Cindy Harrison.
They say the worker started adding fees after loading, then refused to honor the original agreement, holding their stuff hostage.
“He took the contract we had already initialed and added all sorts of fees,” said Wayne Harrison. “They wanted $970 when it was supposed to be around $200, we told him we are not paying that,” said Cindy Harrison.
Harrison called Chandler police who came out but told her there was nothing they could do, and she’d have to file a claim in court.
“We had to give them the money or we did not know what was going to happen to our furniture,” said Cindy Harrison.
Well, turns out police could have stopped it.
“I’m infuriated that the police did not know about this law," said Cindy Harrison.
Last year Let Joe Know told you about a new law passed that authorizes officers to take possession of the truck and give back your things on the spot during this type of dispute. Forcing the company to settle the rest in court.
When she confronted police with that information, Cindy Harrison says she was told that bill was passed but has never been enforced and is a "very loosely written law.”
We put multiple calls into the company. Even knocking on the owners business and home.
The owner told us over the phone the couple agreed to the full price prior to the move and says they’ve done nothing wrong.
“He’s a dishonest man, I wouldn’t be surprised with whatever he says."
Reviews on Google reveal other customers experiencing the same treatment by the company and that’s why this couple is warning others.
“Don’t even consider using this dishonest company,” said Cindy Harrison.
ABC15 reached out to the Chandler Police Department for any information on this incident Thursday but we've yet to get a response.
