Police charge Copake man with stealing vehicle

CLAVERACK — Police arrested and charged a Copake man stemming from a Dec. 23 stolen vehicle report, according to police.

Jeremiah Simpson, 40, of Copake, was arrested at about 1:50 p.m. Dec. 27 and charged with criminal possession of stolen property, a class D felony.

Simpson’s arrest came after a three-day police investigation into a Dec. 23 report from a Copake resident that his vehicle was stolen from his residence during the evening of Dec. 22.

Through social media, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office received information the stolen vehicle may have been in Claverack on Dec. 23. Deputy Sheriff Peter Merante responded to the Claverack location, which police are not revealing, where he located and recovered the vehicle, according to Sheriff David Bartlett.

Through the continued investigation police determined Simpson had the vehicle Dec. 23 in Claverack. Simpson was arrested without incident. and

Simpson was arraigned in Claverack Town Court and held in Columbia County Jail on $1,000 cash bail or $2,000 bail bond. He will return to court at a later date.