From Virginia

In the dark of night, they come. Taking people's prized possessions.

They're not thieves.

They're repo men risking their own lives!

Over two nights, we rode with Bill's Recovery in Newport News and Summs Skip and Collection Service in Virginia Beach. Two companies with the same goal, to get that vehicle without getting grief from owners.

Bill Chenault and his drivers, including his 19-year-old son, begin the night at the kitchen table that doubles as Bill's office. It's just before midnight, and it's just the start of a seven hour shift. Between the three of them, they'll repossess ten cars before daylight, but it won't be easy.

"The joy I get out of it? It's a challenge," Chenault said.

Bill's been a repo man for 17 years, and he knows night time is prime time. The professional repo drivers, we're talking the pros, can find that car, and grab it. Forget gone in 60 seconds; try 10. Bill says the best of the bunch don't need to carry a gun.

"A lot of us repo companies out here choose to carry a firearm, if you're good at what you do, you don't really need it," Chenault said.

However, you do need steel nerves and a steel resolve. It's 4:00 a.m., and we're in Williamsburg. Bill's picking up a car. He just woke up the owner. Now the owner has to clean it out and give up his car in the middle of the night. That's bad enough without a camera crew in tow. And when he sees us, things get interesting.

"I don't care who they are! Get them out of here! It's 4:00 a.m! People are asleep! What the F&%$ you doin'? Get them out of here!" said the unidentified owner.

"He admits he's in the wrong there." Chenault explained. "'I should have had it cleaned out and put on the street.' But he said nobody showed up at nine, so he left the stuff in his car. That's kinda foolish."

Bill says people are sometimes desperate to keep their cars.

"This guy jumped the curb, ran over the curb, ran down Jefferson (Avenue), ran through stop lights, stop signs, even went by a (school) bus with the sign out. You know, why put some child's life in danger?"

If Bill Chenault is the rock-n-roll repo tow man, then Mark Summs is the symphony. If Summs Skip and Recovery isn't the biggest repo company in Hampton Roads, then it's probably the oldest. It opened in 1932.

"Somebody comes out with a gun and starts shooting. That's when it's time to leave," said Mark Summs.

Summs has a fleet of nine trucks that are so efficient, the company picks up 400 vehicles every month. Though thier personalities are different, both Chenault and Summs agree the economy is in a slump.

"Based on the first quarter of 2007 vs. 2006 we're picking up more cars."

One of Mark's drivers Mike Clark, says people will hide their cars anywhere to try to keep them.

"There was one in Franklin that I found in a cornfield finally, Clark said.

As night draws to a close, Bill on the Peninsula and Mark on the Southside have grabbed ten cars between them. About an average take. With a profit of $450 per vehicle, it makes us wonder, if we're in the wrong business.