| Columbia County Sheriff's Office |
David W. Harrison, Jr., SHERIFF James R. Sweet, UNDERSHERIFF
| Copyright ©2006 Columbia County Sheriff's Office, Hudson, NY 12534 |
KINDERHOOK COPPER THIEVES ARRESTED
April 7, 2008
Kinderhook, NY – Columbia County Sheriff David W. Harrison, Jr. reports that 19 year old Ryan Merchant of Church
Street Chatham and 20 year old Collin Wood of Route 66 Ghent were arrested April 2, 2008 and charged with two
counts each of Grand Larceny 4th Degree and Criminal Mischief 3rd degree, both class E-Felonies.
Kinderhook Town Supervisor Douglas McGivney contacted the Sheriff’s Office and reported that copper gutters had
been stolen from the Kinderhook Town Community Center on Independence Drive. The thefts occurred on two separate
dates, once in March and the other in April.
It is believed these handcrafted fixtures have been on the building since it was originally built in the early 1900’s. They
are valued at several thousand dollars.
With the Assistance of the Albany Police Department, both Wood and Merchant were caught with some of the stolen
property in the vehicle they were in at a scrap yard in Albany. The scrap yard cooperated with the investigation. The
stolen items and the vehicle they were in were impounded at the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
The District Attorney’s Office recommend bail be set at $20,000.00 cash and $40,000.00 bond. Arraigned in the
Kinderhook Town Court by Justice Archie Williams, Merchant and Wood were remanded to the county jail in lieu of
$1,000.00 cash or $2,000.00 bail bond. Merchant and Wood will return to court at a later date.
The investigation of other multiple scrap and metal thefts is continuing and additional charges are possible.
Sheriff Harrison said “this was a joint effort between officials of the Town of Kinderhook, Investigator John Rivero,
Resident Deputy Sheriff Louis Bray and Deputy Sheriff’s Travis VanAlstyne and David Rose, it was good work done by
all”.
April 7, 2008
Kinderhook, NY – Columbia County Sheriff David W. Harrison, Jr. reports that 19 year old Ryan Merchant of Church
Street Chatham and 20 year old Collin Wood of Route 66 Ghent were arrested April 2, 2008 and charged with two
counts each of Grand Larceny 4th Degree and Criminal Mischief 3rd degree, both class E-Felonies.
Kinderhook Town Supervisor Douglas McGivney contacted the Sheriff’s Office and reported that copper gutters had
been stolen from the Kinderhook Town Community Center on Independence Drive. The thefts occurred on two separate
dates, once in March and the other in April.
It is believed these handcrafted fixtures have been on the building since it was originally built in the early 1900’s. They
are valued at several thousand dollars.
With the Assistance of the Albany Police Department, both Wood and Merchant were caught with some of the stolen
property in the vehicle they were in at a scrap yard in Albany. The scrap yard cooperated with the investigation. The
stolen items and the vehicle they were in were impounded at the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
The District Attorney’s Office recommend bail be set at $20,000.00 cash and $40,000.00 bond. Arraigned in the
Kinderhook Town Court by Justice Archie Williams, Merchant and Wood were remanded to the county jail in lieu of
$1,000.00 cash or $2,000.00 bail bond. Merchant and Wood will return to court at a later date.
The investigation of other multiple scrap and metal thefts is continuing and additional charges are possible.
Sheriff Harrison said “this was a joint effort between officials of the Town of Kinderhook, Investigator John Rivero,
Resident Deputy Sheriff Louis Bray and Deputy Sheriff’s Travis VanAlstyne and David Rose, it was good work done by
all”.