Repo Men of Reality

By Sean Stillmaker in Miscellaneous on Sep 26, 2010 7:30PM

Unlike what’s shown on TV, the repo men of reality adhere to professional standards that don’t get into altercations with debtors and prefer stealth movements.

“Unfortunately these shows are on TV, people watch them and think this is repossession; it’s not, it doesn’t even come close to it,” said David Knopp, owner and operator of Republic Recovery Service.

The rogue fly by night operators who would share similar traits to the show “Operation Repo” are long gone. The Illinois Commerce Commission regulates the repossession business where it’s mandated to be licensed, insured and in compliance with the Illinois Vehicle Code for commercial relocation.

The commission regulates 61 repossession businesses within Cook, DuPage, Will, Kane and Winnebago counties, according to their 2008 annual report (pdf), the most recent available.

Knopp has been in repossession for 30 years experiencing all the trends. The job demands grueling hours where agents scour the area everyday extending beyond a 100-mile radius of their Blue Island location.

Assignments are issued from finance companies and pay is based off the recovery of collateral - cars are most commonly repossessed. The most popular cars repossessed are low end sedans. During the 90’s it was the Chevy Cavalier and now it’s the Pontiac G6.

Republic Recovery Service thrives from maintaining a consistent work load; between 25-30 cars are repossessed in a week. In 2009 at the height of the recession there were 30 assignments coming in daily, it has now subsided.

Chicagoist got to ride shotgun showing you what the real repossession world is like: