Crime & Safety
Burglar Caught Red-Handed In Air Conditioning Store, Put On Ice: Cops
A former employee of the business later admitted to detectives that he had committed other unreported burglaries at the same location.
NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Police say a copper thief at a Westchester heating and cooling business didn't count on heat from the cold eye of the Ring camera.
On Wednesday, shortly after 1 a.m., officers responded to Richie Brothers Heating and Air Conditioning, located on Plain Avenue, after a report of a burglary.
The property owner told cops he saw, through a Ring camera, a suspect attempting to steal copper from the business.
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When police arrived on the scene, they found an open door to the basement and movement in the building. Moments later, officers were able to convince the suspect to surrender.
The suspect, 43-year-old James M. Hoch, of New Rochelle, was a former employee of the business and later admitted to detectives that he had committed other unreported burglaries at the same location.
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Hoch was arrested and charged with felony second degree burglary, misdemeanor possession of burglar's tools, and misdeamenor seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
New Rochelle police added that other burglaries are being investigated.
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