Saratoga County Man Arrested For Staging Phony Car Theft

NEW YORK, NY (01/14/2011)(readMedia)-- A Saratoga County man was arrested Wednesday for staging the theft of his car and then filing a claim with his insurer to cover the fake $22,000 loss, the New York State Insurance Department reported.

Colonie police arrested Matthew L. Carpenter, 38, of Carpenter Way, Clifton Park, after an investigation by the police department and the Insurance Department's Frauds Bureau.

The investigation revealed that Carpenter removed his 2009 Jeep from a parking lot at DeNooyer Chevrolet in Colonie after it was repaired there following an accident. He removed the Jeep without the car dealership's knowledge and failed to pay for the $3,700 cost of the repairs. He then parked the Jeep at Albany International Airport, reported it stolen and filed a claim for the theft of the vehicle with his insurer, Travelers Insurance Company.

An investigation was begun after the insurance company questioned the claim for which Carpenter was never paid.

Carpenter was charged with insurance fraud, falsely reporting an incident and making a false written statement. He was also charged with grand larceny for cashing an insurer's $3,700 check that was intended to be used to pay for the repairs to the Jeep.

Carpenter could be sentenced to up to seven years in prison if he is convicted. He was released on $10,000 bond pending future court action. The case is being prosecuted by the office of Albany County District Attorney David Soares.

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