Triston Perez (Photo: Cortland County Sheriff's Office)
CORTLAND, N.Y. — A Syracuse man believed to be responsible for stealing car parts in New York State and Pennsylvania was arrested in Cortland on Monday.
Triston Perez, 33, faces felony charges of grand larceny and auto stripping.
In February of 2015, the Cortland County Sheriff's Office received a larceny complaint from a car dealership on Route 281 in Cortlandville. A representative from the dealership told police that wheels and tires valued in excess of $3,000 had been stolen from new pickup trucks while on display.
Investigators from the sheriff's office learned of similar thefts throughout New York State and Pennsylvania, initiating a coordinated investigation between several police agencies, according to Lt. Todd Caufield with the sheriff's office.
Perez was identified as a suspect and found to be already incarcerated on separate charges.
His next scheduled court appearance in Cortlandville is in January.
Other law enforcement agencies — including sheriff's departments from Jefferson, Oswego, Onondaga, Broome and Cayuga counties — have charged Perez and are awaiting further action by the courts.
