Check the fine print on your most recent parking tickets.

The bogus $25 and $50 parking tickets issued by Metropolitan Private Police were left on cars in business and residential parking lots around Madison.  Some ticket-getters told police they paid the fines (mailed to an address in DeForest) because of warnings printed on them that "fines would double and driver's licenses and license plates could be suspended if they didn't do so."

Metropolitan Protective Services owner Brendan Eichsteadt offered refunds and called the situation a "misunderstanding."  Yeah, honest mistake.  Owners and managers of some of the parking lots where tickets were issued told police they hadn't even hired Metropolitan to patrol the lots, who doesn't have authority to issue tickets anyway.  

Anyone who received a ticket from Metropolitan should contact authorities at 846-6780.