Charges of mischief and extortion have been laid against a man who runs a car-booting business in Halifax.

Derrick Cantwell, 53, was charged on Nov. 12 in Edmonton.

Police there say they received a complaint from a restaurant patron who was using a parking lot in the city's downtown.

The patron's car was booted, and it was removed after an undisclosed amount of money was paid.

Shortly afterwards, police arrested two people who they observed approaching another vehicle in the same lot.

Cantwell and a 24-year-old man were charged with extortion, mischief and interfering with property over $5,000.

Cantwell had been charging $132 (taxes included) to have boots removed from vehicles in various parking lots in Halifax.

He'd been operating the company under the name No Go No Tow.

After CBC News published a story based on complaints about Cantwell's business practices, the British Columbia-based owners of the No Go No Tow brand initiated a lawsuit claiming Cantwell was using the name illegally.

The company also offered a refund to Leah Johnston, who had complained Cantwell wrongly booted her car in October in the Subway parking lot on Quinpool Road