After Keeping The Car He Once Reported Stolen, Ulster 22-Year-Old Arrested: NYSP

NAPANOCH, NY — A poorly thought-out scheme ended with a Hudson Valley man under arrest, according to police.

The New York State Police in Ellenville arrested 22-year-old Yaakov A. Handler, of Napanoch, following an investigation by the State Police Monroe Bureau of Criminal Investigation into a false report of a stolen vehicle.

The investigation began on Sept. 11, when the Liberty Police Department located a 2015 Dodge Charger that had been reported stolen on Dec. 27, 2024, on State Route 17, in the Town of Monroe. The vehicle was reported stolen by Handler, who investigators say received an insurance payout for the vehicle while still being in possession of it.

Handler was charged with insurance fraud, grand larceny, and false reporting.

Handler was arraigned in Ulster County Centralized Arraignment Part and released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear at Wawarsing Town Court on Oct. 30, and the Town of Monroe Court on Nov. 30.