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Volunteer Firefighter Arrested for Gasoline Theft
Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith and Chief Charles Nolen of the North Highlands Volunteer Fire Department report the arrest of an 18-year-old Philipstown youth on larceny charges in connection with the reported theft of gasoline from the North Highlands Volunteer Fire Department.
On September 20, 2007, North Highlands Fire Chief Charles Nolen called the Sheriffs Office and reported that he discovered that approximately 14 gallons of gasoline had been stolen from the fire department's gas pumps. The theft had apparently occurred within a week's period of time. Investigator Robert Ferris of the Sheriffs Bureau of Criminal Investigation was assigned to the case.
Investigator Ferris' investigation revealed that gasoline had been stolen from the fire department on two separate occasions, allegedly by an 18- year-old member of the fire department. William A. Kivel of Philipstown, was subsequently arrested by Investigator Ferris and charged with two counts of Petit Larceny, a class "A" misdemeanor. Mr. Kivel was arraigned before Kent Town Justice Joseph Esposito, acting on behalf of the Philipstown Justice Court, and remanded to the Putnam County Correctional Facility in lieu of $1000 cash bail. Mr. Kivel was released after the required bail was posted at the correctional facility. He is scheduled to appear in Philipstown Justice Court on October 10, 2007 at 3pm.
As a result of his arrest, Mr. Kivel has been suspended from the fire service by Chief Nolen pending an administrative hearing before the North Highlands Board of Fire Commissioners. The date of that hearing has not yet been determined.
A conviction of a single count of Petit Larceny may be punishable by a sentence of incarceration of up to one year in the Putnam County Correctional Facility.
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