SURF CITY –– A man who illegally operated a tow truck company has been arrested following an investigation by the Surf City Police Department. Hampstead resident Charles Dowd hooked up his red tow truck to parked vehicles and demand a $200 drop fee to release the vehicles. On July 24, someone made a report of a suspicious encounter with Dowd near the 1700 block of N New River Drive in Surf City. In the reported instance, Dowd was using a mobile app to receive payments and called his company JAM Services. Dowd was arrested and charged with obtaining property by false pretenses, extortion, and embezzlement.