The pop-up parking bandits are back — and city hall is planning a crackdown.

Businesses around Budweiser Gardens are once again seeing their parking lots converted into paid parking during London Knights hockey games and special events.

The problem is, it is done without permission from the business or city. Parking bandits put out a sandwich board, wave drivers in and pocket the cash.

“We will not let people who are not authorized, on our property,” said Steve Copp, president Copp's Buildall, who owns several lots in the area of York and Ridout streets.

“We will work with the city to find a solution to this.”

The solution is greater enforcement, which the city promises will happen with a pledge to ticket cars and issue summons, said Annette Drost, manager of municipal law enforcement services for the city.

“We are concerned about this, people are being misled and taken advantage of. They represent themselves as having an affiliation to the property, but they do not,” she said.

The city can ticket cars and issue a summons to the operators, but bylaw enforcement officers don’t have authority to order the lot operators to leave the property, she added.

“We have not laid charges but we have instructed property owners to call police. We want to stress to the city the public should park at a commercial lot.”

The city has the option of laying trespassing charges up to six months after the incident.

“It is on our radar, we know what is going on and we are taking enforcement measures,” said Drost.

It was a problem in the spring and the city tried a crackdown. Bylaw enforcement officers issued tickets to operators of illegal lots and confiscated signs.

“It is a fiasco,” said Mike Roi, manager Hanford Tires. “It’s at the point now where they trespass.”

He has posted signs and is working with the city to have the lot patrolled, but a pop-up lot went up on his lot last week, he said. He has ruled out fencing and hiring security due to cost, he said.

“We have looked at every possibility.”

Business may be liable if there is an accident in one of its lots, or if a person is injured, said Drost.

“They put their boards up and take your money. I don’t support people operating illegally. I pay $30,000 in property taxes. I hope they clamp down,” said David Elliott, president Sutherland Elliott Insurance, on York Street who has been told by his staff pop-up lots have appeared at the business.

“It’s a consumer protection issue and businesses don’t want their lots used, it is illegal trespass,” said Orest Katolyk, city bylaw enforcement officer.

“When you pull into a lot and you’re paying a guy with a flashlight, you don’t know who you’re giving money to.”

ndebono@postmedia.com

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