New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the arrest of John F. Rivers, a tow truck operator from East Greenbush, for allegedly using his company, Rivers Asset Recovery, to steal and sell vehicles in the Capital Region. The investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and New York State Police (NYSP) revealed that Rivers used contracts with local businesses to monitor parking lots and illegally sold towed vehicles to scrapyards or used car dealers.
Rivers faces multiple felony charges for stealing 17 vehicles valued at $230,000 over nearly two years. The charges include Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, and Scheme to Defraud.
“Car theft is a serious crime that can leave New Yorkers stranded, and my office is focused on stopping anyone who tries to profit from it,” said Attorney General James. “This alleged scheme was a systematic effort to use legal towing for illegal theft and deception, leaving New Yorkers across the Capital Region in the dark about what happened to their cars."
The investigation found that from October 2022 through August 2024, Rivers sold some vehicles within days of towing them without notifying their owners. Parking lots serviced by Rivers included locations such as Walmart in Latham, Hannaford in Albany, and Home Depot in Rensselaer. Of the stolen vehicles, 12 were sold to used car dealers and five were sold to scrapyards.
In March 2024, NYSP investigators conducted an undercover operation involving a Hyundai Sonata parked at Walmart in Latham. The vehicle was later found cut into parts at a Massachusetts scrapyard after being taken by Rivers' company without notifying its registered owner.
The criminal complaint against Rivers was arraigned before Rensselaer City Judge Linda Blom Johnson. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison. A criminal complaint is only an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
“Through a collaborative investigation among law enforcement partners, we have uncovered an alleged car theft operation that was responsible for victimizing car owners throughout the Capital Region,” said New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James.
The ongoing investigation involves collaboration between NYSP's Special Investigations Unit and other state departments. The case is prosecuted by Public Integrity Bureau Assistant Attorneys General Christopher Baynes and Shadi Masri under supervision from PIB Bureau Chief Gerard Murphy and Deputy Bureau Chief Kiran Heer.