by Bea Peterson
Hoosick Falls Police Chief Robert Ashe said the Department has completed its investigation into a theft that occurred at the Village Highway Department in May of this year. About $10,000 worth of water main pipes, water collars, valves and guard rails were taken, he said. The items were located at a scrap yard in Green island the following day.
[private]”A vigilant Village citizen noticed an individual driving a vehicle that had those items in the back,” said Ashe. “He then notified the Police who followed up with the Highway Department. Once it was confirmed those items had been taken, a check of area scrap yards produced the identity of the suspect.”
William Kohls, 54 years old, of 114 Church Street, Hoosick Falls, was arrested on May 1 and remanded to the Rensselaer County Jail with no bail. A warrant was issued for 26 year old Fredrick Stager, also of 114 Church Street. Stager fled the area and was located in Manchester, VT, where he was recently arrested by the Manchester Police Department as a Fugitive From Justice and remanded to the Marble Valley Correctional Facility. Extradition proceedings are being prepared to bring him back to New York. Both Kohls and Stager are charged with Criminal Trespass 3rd, Grand Larceny 4th and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property 4th.
“I want to commend the citizen of this community for taking a moment to contact Police over his suspicion that something was not right. Communities stay safe not only because of their police departments, but, more importantly, because of their citizen’s commitment to their community,” said Ashe.[/private]