Behind the Scenes
Froylan Tercero
"My name is Froylan Tercero but everyone calls me Froy.
"I been in the repo business for 10 years straight, but I started repo part-time when I was only 15. I was born in Tijuana, Mexico, and I came to the U.S when I was 14. My mother is Mexican and my father is from Puerto Rico.
"I'm the kind of guy who loves to smile even when I'm not having a good day. I really love to make people laugh. I don't like to fight or argue. I understand that we all have financial problems, but I still have to do my job. Some people deliver pizzas. Other people work in construction. I repossess cars, and I wouldn't want to do anything else. I make my own hours. I don't have to drive in traffic. I work with a great crew whom I trust with my life. And I make good money. I love this job."
Q: What are three things you always bring to a repossession?
A: First and most important, my picks, to open and start the vehicles. Secondly, a clear state of mind; if I'm calm I can do a much better job. Third is a pair of very comfortable shoes, because there can be a lot of walking and running on this job.
Q: Is each repo a hassle?
A: I have to say that about 85% of the time it's a hassle.
Q: Describe your scariest moment on the job.
A: In a very bad neighborhood, I went with my new driver to do a repo around 3 a.m. We found ourselves surrounded by 13 armed gang members. My driver got beat up for opening his mouth at the wrong time. I had told him to let me handle the situation. The driver never came back to repo again.
Q: What was the funniest thing you ever saw on the job?
A: A man in his 50s, naked, pointing his shotgun at me and telling me to get off his property.
Q: Describe the angriest person whose car you had to repossess.
A: If I had to pick one, it would have to be a very, very hot female stripper in her early 20s. She offered me a free lap dance and then offered me sex to leave her the car. Then a cop came rolling down the street, and she began slapping herself and claiming I hit her. It was good I had recorded the whole thing on a digital camera.
Q: What's the best thing about your job?
A: The adrenaline rush from not knowing what's going to happen next.
