A 32-year-old Cherry Hill NJ man is currently in custody in NJ on a warrant of allegedly targeting three victims with a towing scam at a location in the Falls Township section of Morrisville.
Falls Twp. Police believe there may be other victims and ask anyone with information to contact the assigned investigator, P/O Stephanie Metterle, at (215) 302-3311, or via email s.metterle@fallstwppd.com. Information may also be provided anonymously at (215) 949-9120, or via email at tiplines@fallstwppd.com.
On April 10, 2025 at 2:35 p.m., police were dispatched for multiple calls of a tow truck illegally towing vehicles from the Planet Fitness parking lot in Pennsbury Plaza in Morrisville. Upon arrival, police were in contact with three individuals and confronted with a hectic scene.
Through the initial investigation, the probable cause alleges that the following was determined.
Victim 1 contacted police because a tow truck had towed his vehicle from the parking lot. He didn’t believe he was illegally parked. He advised that the towing operator, later identified as Corey Goldstein, pressured him to pay $250 in cash to ‘drop’ his vehicle. Victim 1 told Goldstein he didn’t have any money and Goldstein removed his vehicle from the parking lot.
Goldstein then returned to the parking lot within minutes with an empty tow truck and ‘hooked up’ another vehicle owned by victim 2. The second phone call to police was from victim 2, who advised that Goldstein insisted on $250 cash or he would tow the vehicle. Police arrived on scene while the tow truck was connected to victim 2’s vehicle.
The two vehicles were located next to each other and were facing out. The vehicles were parked along the curb, not blocking traffic flow or emergency vehicles. Neither vehicle was parked by a yellow curb or in a fire lane. Neither vehicle posed a safety risk to pedestrians, vehicles or businesses.
The officer contacted ARD Property Mgmt and spoke with an employee. The employee advised police in summary that ARD Property Mgmt allows TDI (aka Tow Decision Inc) to post signs on their lot, but stating ‘contracted tow company’ is a stretch. Police were also informed that TDI understands that either ARD or the business itself needs to contact them with a request for removal of a vehicle. The employee said that under no circumstances can they remove vehicles on their own. He added that ARD is not in the business of towing customers/consumers vehicles from the parking lot. He also stated that he cannot remember a time that he called TDI for removal of a vehicle because it happens so infrequently.
Police spoke with Goldstein on scene who changed his story several times. He advised that he worked for Stirling Tow and they are subcontracted by TDI and are allowed to tow vehicles from the lot. Goldstein advised that another driver towed victim 1’s vehicle and believed his name was Chris. He could not provide Chris’ last name or phone number. When directed to contact Chris and have him bring the vehicle back, the defendant repeatedly said he could get it and return in 10 minutes. However, he also stated that the vehicle was already in the Philadelphia lot. When questioned he repeatedly said he could go get the other vehicle and be back in a few minutes. When asked who contacted him to come right now and instructed him to tow these two vehicles, Goldstein said he’s allowed to tow from this lot because Stirling is a subcontractor of TDI.
Goldstein used a Stirling Tow Truck, affixed with their company’s name and number on the outside. He wore a shirt saying “Corey’s Towing and Junk Cars 856-473-5266”.
While on scene for over an hour, the defendant implied to another officer that the vehicle was close by. The second officer drove around and located the vehicle on the street in the area of Building 10 at Pennsbury Court Apartments. The apartments are located in Morrisville Borough’s jurisdiction. The vehicle was left on the side of the road and not in the secure tow yard.
While on scene, in the parking lot, another Planet Fitness member, Victim 3 came up to report that the same subject charged him $200, on two separate occasions to ‘drop’ his vehicle. Victim 3 provided a screenshot of a CashApp transaction being paid directly to Goldstein, not Stirling Tow or TDI Towing. Victim 3 informed police that he was parked in the same location where the two vehicles and the tow truck were parked at the time of the incident. He said it happened 2 days apart; the first time he had cash on him but the second time he didn’t have cash and paid him via CashApp.
Through the investigation, the officer reached out to the TDI owner, who advised them they do subcontract to Stirling. He refused any further communication and advised the officer to contact Stirling Tow. Police then spoke with the owner of Stirling, who said Goldstein lied about another driver being there because he was nervous. Stirling Tow could not confirm if they were contacted by TDI or ARD Property Mgmt for the removal of those vehicles.