Cops: Putnam Man Faces Charges After Family Reports Stolen Car

Officials have arrested a 23-year-old Mahopac man in connection with a family member's report of a stolen vehicle and the theft of several of the complainant's possessions.

Deputy Michael Sutherland with the Putnam County Sheriff's Office responded to the Astor Drive residence around 3 p.m. Dec. 28 and "determined that James Kaufman, 23, of that address had taken a family member’s vehicle without permission."

"The deputy further determined that Mr. Kaufman had stolen items of property from the family member," police said in a statement released this week.

Following an investigation, Sutherland located Kaufman and arrested him on two counts of petit larceny and one of third-degree unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, all misdemeanors.

At the time of the arrest, the defendant is alleged to have been in possession of a hypodermic needle, for which authorities lodged a misdemeanor charge of criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Officials processed Kaufman at the Putnam County Correctional Facility in Carmel, where he awaited arraignment.