On February 16th around 6:50 p.m. police responded to a report of a stolen vehicle, owned by a laborer working at a construction site on Cherry St.
The vehicle reported stolen was described as an early-2000s, black pickup truck.
Several officer patrolled in search of the stolen vehicle.
Approximately 40 minutes later officers were checking the area, when a separate report of a larceny from another vehicle was reported in the 300 block of Elmira Rd.
It was reported that the suspect had stolen a purse from that vehicle and fled the scene in an older model, dark colored pickup truck.
Just a few minutes after that, officers on patrol observed the pickup truck in the area of > Plain St. and W. Seneca St. The vehicle initially attempted to evade the officer by pulling into a parking lot on W. Seneca St. The driver then attempted to flee that area on foot.
However, the suspect, identified as 40-year-old Joseph Payne, of Ithaca was taken into custody without incident. He was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, which is a Class E felony.
The charges will be answered at a later date in city court. The investigation remains active.
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