BY JOSH TOWNER
After years of community complaints about illegal parking, the city has revoked a Maspeth auto body shop’s towing license.
City Council Member Robert Holden announced on Oct. 2 that All American Auto Body, Inc. of 59-01 Grand Ave. in Maspeth had its towing license revoked by the Department of Consumer Affairs as a result of inspections that took place during the summer.
The 104th Precinct has been towing vehicles left behind by All American Auto Body for several years, with crackdowns reported in 2011, 2015 and 2017. The auto shop had its towing license suspended previously in 2011, but even that didn’t seem to change activities once the suspension was lifted.
Finally, after numerous police reports and at Holden’s request, in February, the DCA began an investigation into American Auto Body.
“I have been fighting for two decades against the crooked practices of All American Auto Body,” said Holden, who previously sought action against the auto body shop while he served as president of the Juniper Park Civic Association. “They have caused constant headaches for my constituents, operated the business under false addresses and they deserve to be shut down.”
The DCA informed All American Auto Body of the revocation via letter Oct. 1. Salvatore Abate, owner of All American Auto Body, also had his personal towing license revoked.
The company is no longer certified to tow for the Directed Accident Towing Program, the Rotation Tow Program, private lots or police reported car accidents.
The DCA also sent letters to All American Auto Body on Aug. 24 and Aug. 28. The letters informed the company of the DCA’s intent to revoke the licenses, and said All American Auto Body did not actually work out of its business address at 59-01 Grand Ave.
The letters also detailed All American Auto Body’s numerous violations of the DCA’s rules and the city’s tow laws, and noted the denial of the company’s attempted license renewal to tow out of a new location at 56-09 56th Terrace.
Holden has publicly confronted All American Auto Body for leaving neglected and damaged cars on major roadways for days or weeks at a time, and Maspeth citizens have been voicing complaints to the City Council and 311 for years.
“This bad actor’s pathetic attempts to undermine the city’s tow laws have not only created an imbalance in the industry but also left damaged cars to block curbside parking and litter parts all over,” Holden added. “Maspeth will be a much better place when All American’s trucks disappear.”
Robert Pozarycki contributed to this report.
