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Violent Gang Members Nabbed Stealing From Hudson Valley Home Depots, Police Say

Three men who are part of a violent street gang have been charged with stealing thousands of dollars of merchandise from Home Depot stores on several occasions in the Hudson Valley.

The Home Depot store in Wappingers Falls.

The Home Depot store in Wappingers Falls.

Photo Credit: Pixabay via diegoparra/Google Maps street view

The three men, all from Brooklyn, were busted in Dutchess County around 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29 in the village of Wappingers Falls.

According to Wappingers Falls Police Commissioner Paul Italiano, the police department received a call of a larceny in progress at the Home Depot store located at 1570 Route 9, Imperial Plaza in the village of Wappingers Falls.

Three men had filled garbage bags with electrical equipment totaling approximately $1,800 and were attempting to flee the store when confronted by store loss prevention, Italiano said.

While attempting to stop the men, one of the suspects assaulted the store employee making the incident a robbery. The suspects fled in a gray Chevy sedan with Florida plates. 

Wappingers Police units attempted to stop the vehicle on New Hackensack Road. The driver failed to stop and fled from the officer, police said.

The vehicle continued through the town of Poughkeepsie where it became involved in a minor accident with a motorcycle and continued to flee through the town of Poughkeepsie, town of Lagrange, south on the Taconic State Parkway to I-84, Italiano said.

The vehicle then traveled east on I-84 into Putnam County where it struck a second vehicle and became disabled.

All three were nabbed and the stolen goods were recovered.

Those arrested include:

  • Trent A. Dance, age 20
  • William M. Harvin Jr., age 24
  • Mekhi R. Murphy, age 25

They were all charged with grand larceny and criminal conspiracy in addition to numerous traffic violations.

Dance was remanded to Dutchess County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail, Murphy was remanded to Dutchess County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail and Harvin was released from Village Court. 

Dance also has numerous outstanding warrants in other jurisdictions. Murphy was issued in excess of 60 traffic summonses by multiple agencies.

It was determined early on the three were the same individuals involved in grand larceny from Home Depot on Monday, Aug., 21, where the subjects stole electrical equipment valued between $5,500 and $8,800, police said.

With the help of the New York City Police Department, they were further identified as being part of a violent organized street gang known as the “Rich Bosses”.

It also was found that other surrounding agencies had similar incidents and pending charges.

The investigation is continuing at this time.

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