My car was towed in my apartment complex

[lslackjr]

I just rececntly moved back to NC with my fiance in his apartment complex. NC law stated that I turn my license plate in to the DMV for thirty days, due to switching states / insurance. Which also meant I was unable to drive the car. I parked the car in the apartment complex parking lot. While we were on vacation, our car was towed. When we got back we realized that it was gone. The car was towed during the thirty days while the DMV had my license plate. I put a temperary tag on the car with the old license plate number to which I had to turn into dmv. The apartment complex told me which towing company patroled the lot. We never received anything from a towing company or anyone telling us where the car was. The apartment complex did not report our car and had no intention to. After calling this towing company, name given by the apartment complex, 3 weeks later we got a letter. The towing company told me that its costing me $25 a day and added on to the $200 fee it costs to tow it. How can this possibly happen? I did exactly what the DMV told me to do. My bill is over 1,400 and going up each day. I told them I didnt have that kind of money and he told me to hand over the keys and the title. How could this have been avoided? Can they do this? What can I do to get my car back? Any reply is greatly appreciated. Thanks.