Parking company employee fired, charged after illegally booting cars for cash, charging docs show

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A man has been charged after drivers said he booted their cars in a Heights parking lot and then wanted cash to remove the metal clamps.

Sean Tremaine Smith, 37, is charged with theft aggregate, which means he allegedly committed multiple thefts during one scheme, according to Texas law.

It happened on Dec. 30 in the parking lot in the 2900 block of White Oak Drive, which services several restaurants and bars.

Court documents state, “Without authorization from the owner of the parking lot, (Smith) placed boots on the cars of multiple (victims) and removed the boots only in exchange for money.”

The Houston Police Department listed four victims.

One of those victims, a Door Dash driver, said she found her car booted after leaving for a short time. She said Smith wanted $250 to remove it and was belligerent when she refused.

Smith is out of jail on bond. He listed Austin Parking Company as his employer. On Friday night, a representative told Smith had been fired related to the incident.