WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. — Driving down Charleston Highway on Thursday, some saw a small crowd of people at an auto shop. The Google page for the shop said it's permanently closed, but customers' cars are still there.
"I was out of business for about two-and-a-half-months," said Tyrell Dow, one of the customers who spent the day looking for answers.
Dow said he brought his work truck into Performance Express Auto Repairs about two-and-a-half months ago and hasn't gotten it back.
Dow and other customers said the shop's staff wouldn't answer calls or emails or give back their car keys and haven't done any repairs.
"I feel let down," Dow said. "At this point, I'm kind of stressed. Have a bill due today. I'm short money, and that's another reason I came, because, you know, it's stressful - starting to be depressing."
Alexis Watts and Bridget Rowe are two other customers who said their cars had been stuck in the lot this week, causing them stress and financial strain.
"It's made everything more difficult," Watts said. "I've got two young kids, one that's in daycare and one that's got summer camps going on. I work a full-time job, and it's been difficult trying to figure out how to make it work. And car trouble was already stressful enough as it is."
"We got to have a way to get back to work," Rowe said. "I mean, I live in Gaston. I work in West Columbia. So, can I get the key or whatever? And he was like, 'No, I can't do that.'"
Rowe said she spoke with a shop staff member and was told they weren't returning keys to the customers. That's when the customers called the police.
The West Columbia Police Department responded to the calls but said they could not intervene as it is a "civil matter."
"It resulted in me calling in a locksmith to actually get a key cut to my car," Rowe said.
Other customers also paid for new keys and to have their cars towed home if their vehicle was accessible and able to start.
WLTX contacted the shopowner through calls, emails, texts and knocking on the shop door but has not received a response.
The president of the local Better Business Bureau, Chris Hadley, said Performance Express Auto has only one complaint on file, which was resolved with the owner in the time allotted.
“You can pretty much google any business, and that BBB report's going to be right there," Hadley said. "Once you click on that BBB profile, you can click on 'File a Complaint.'"
"Hadley says they encourage customers to file claims so the BBB is aware of any misconduct.
Customers say the police advised them to contact the magistrate's office and file a civil claim.