Teens Arrested for Stealing and Selling Car Parts

Two Albany County teens have been arrested after investigators say they stole car parts and steel rims from an auto parts dealer, then sold them as scrap steel to a salvage dealer in the city of Albany.

Bryan Livingston, 17, of Altamont, and William Russell, 18, of Loudonville, are accused of breaking into Dunston Brothers, Inc. storage yard in New Scotland, and loading a full size pick-up truck with car parts and around 100 steel rims.

Livingston and Russell then drove to Hudson River Recycling, Inc. in Albany, where they sold the stolen property as scrap steel.

Sheriff's investigators say the teens executed the steal-and-sell maneuver on at least two different occasions. The parts were valued at around $2,500.

Investigators say they narrowed in on Livingston and Russell when they were captured on a surveillance camera hidden in the auto parts dealer's storage yard.

The recycling company also had photos of the teens' truck loaded with the stolen rims and parts, say investigators.

Investigators seized a 2001 Dodge Ram pick-up from Livingston's home -- the same truck they say was used in the crimes.

Livingston and Russell were charged with two felony counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, two felony counts of criminal possession of stolen property, and two misdemeanor counts of criminal trespassing.

Livingston faces additional charges of unlawful fleeing of a police officer and several traffic violations from a brief car chase just after midnight on May 14th. The sheriff's office said deputies tried to pull Livingston over at around 12:40 a.m. May 14th on Route 20, but that he refused to stop.

The chase ended near Hewitt's Nursery on Route 20, where Livingston ran out of his 2006 Scion and ran into a nearby wooded area. Deputies were unable to find him during the search, but he later turned up at a scheduled probation appointment two days later.

Russell was arrested May 14th and issued appearance tickets for a later date; Livingston was arrested May 15th and arraigned in New Scotland Court, and remains in Albany County Correctional Facility without bail.