State of Illinois cracks down on piratical towing company.

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They were dubbed the "Lincoln Park Pirates" in a 1970s folk song and they've been exasperating Chicago motorists for more than 40 years.

But if you've ever been charged $150 or more for the pleasure of having your car towed by one of Lincoln Towing Service's trucks, get ready for a dose of schadenfreude.

The state is now threatening to strip the North Side company's towing license after a flood of complaints from consumers, pressure from two aldermen and a petition signed by more than 3,000 people.

In one recent case that led to criminal charges, a pair of Lincoln Towing employees allegedly knocked a 55-year-old worker off a 16-foot ladder as they towed away his truck, then mocked him as they left him on the ground with a broken leg. In another case that led to a police citation, an Illinois Department of Children and Family Services investigator's car was illegally towed while he asked questions about an abuse case inside the Rogers Park District police station.

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