Local Police Start Car-Towing Drive

Cambridge police have begun a crackdown on habitual parking violators in the Harvard area by towing away a large number of cars in the past three days, according to the Ellery Garage, which does the towing.

Despite the denials of Police Chief Patrick J. Ready that more cars than usual are being pulled in, a worker at the garage insisted that "the place was loaded with them yesterday."

Prices for redeeming towed cars have risen too, he said. "Say you have your car towed in. You want it back. It costs you $6.18 plus $1 for storage," he explained. The 18 cents, he confided, is for the government.

A cruising police car has, he added, sought out cars of violators and notified the garage by radio of their location. Some students, objecting to the crackdown have thrown firecrackers and water at the policemen, he claimed. The garageman said he expected more towing, late last night, at about two or three in the morning.

Ready, who had not heard of the firecracker "attack" on policemen, said that if the students were caught, they would be brought to the Dean's Office and court, where they would be punished to "the full extent of the law." He also insisted that the towing away of cars was not being carried on at any special rate.