Tow Jockey And Dealer Sentenced For Phony Repo Scheme

Capital Region (WRGB) — A Rensselaer County tow truck operator has been sentenced to prison for orchestrating a car theft scheme across the Capital Region, while a used car dealer who purchased and resold the stolen vehicles has been sentenced to probation, according to the Office of the New York State Attorney General.

Attorney General Letitia James announced that 44-year-old John Rivers of East Greenbush, was sentenced to 2-6 years in state prison. 58-year-old Robert Pitcher of Broadalbin, was sentenced to five years of probation on February 5.

Prosecutors said Rivers and Pitcher were charged with more than 30 felony counts in connection with a scheme that involved stealing vehicles from parking lots and illegally selling them to scrap yards and used car dealers.

An investigation by the Attorney General’s Office and the New York State Police found that between October 2022 and August 2024, Rivers used towing contracts with local businesses to target vehicles parked overnight. Locations included a Walmart in Latham, a Hannaford in Albany, and a Home Depot in Rensselaer.

Authorities said Rivers would tow vehicles under the guise of repossession, then quickly sell them, sometimes within days, without notifying the registered owners, as required by law. Towing companies must notify owners within five days and hold vehicles for 30 days before attempting to claim title.

Instead, Rivers reportedly ignored owners’ requests to recover their vehicles or demanded excessive fees, in some cases up to $1,000 per day.

Investigators said Rivers sold many of the stolen vehicles to Pitcher, who then created fraudulent ownership documents to resell them. Rivers also reportedly assisted in falsifying titles and related paperwork.

In one example outlined by investigators, New York State Police placed an undercover Hyundai Sonata in a Walmart parking lot in Latham in March 2024. The vehicle was towed later that night and brought to Rivers’ shop. The registered owner was never notified. Two months later, investigators observed the vehicle being dismantled at a Massachusetts chop shop. The owner has never been notified that the car was towed or sold.

In December 2024, Rivers was charged with stealing 17 vehicles worth a combined $230,000. Pitcher was charged in February 2025 for his role in buying and reselling the stolen cars.

Rivers pleaded guilty in December 2025 to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree. Pitcher pleaded guilty to Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third Degree.

Attorney General James said,

New Yorkers should be able to trust that when their car gets towed, they’ll be able to get it back quickly and easily. John Rivers turned his towing business into a criminal operation, stealing cars out of parking lots throughout the Capital Region and selling them to dealers like Robert Pitcher. This scheme left dozens of New Yorkers stranded without a car, and I thank our law enforcement partners for their work in this successful investigation.

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said,

This sentencing has brought to justice individuals who engaged in fraud and larceny, impacting car owners and scamming local businesses who had trust in them. Car theft is no small matter, and we are here to address this problem head-on with the same seriousness and dedication as all crimes we investigate. Our coordination with Attorney General James is critical, and we will continue our partnership as we seek to intercept these acts and dismantle car theft schemes.

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said the sentencing brings justice to victims impacted by fraud and larceny.

The investigation involved the NYSP Special Investigations Unit, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, and the Division of Tax and Finance. The case was prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Public Integrity Bureau.