Municipalities in Chile crackdown on abandoned vehicles and illegal workshops

The municipality of Frutillar reported that 110 vehicles showing clear signs of abandonment were notified this year. Owners were required to respond to official stickers placed on windshields, and most complied by removing their cars. Nineteen vehicles remain in the new municipal corral, which is intended to free up public space and improve safety.

In Antofagasta, a joint inspection by the municipal inspection directorate, security officials and Carabineros uncovered six unlicensed mechanical workshops operating on the street. Inspectors issued six citations to the local police court and 29 citations for illegally parked or abandoned vehicles. Two abandoned cars were towed to the municipal impound lot. The operation cited violations of the 2017 municipal ordinance that bans street‑side mechanical work and emphasized the city’s ongoing effort to reclaim public areas and enhance neighborhood security.