John F. Rivers, 44, of East Greenbush was sentenced to two to six years in prison for exploiting his towing contracts at Walmart, Hannaford, and Home Depot parking lots to steal 17 vehicles worth a combined $230,000 between October 2022 and August 2024, according to the New York Attorney General's office. Rivers sold stolen cars to used car dealer Robert A. Pitcher, 58, who created fraudulent ownership documents; Rivers also charged vehicle owners up to $1,000 per day in fees when they attempted to recover their cars.
Operator takeaway
One operator with retail parking lot contracts stole 17 vehicles and charged $1,000 per day in bogus fees — if you hold similar contracts, audit your own notification and release procedures before an AG investigation does it for you.