Cold Spring Woman Charged in Jewelry Thefts

The following was provided by the Putnam County Sheriff's Department. It does not indicate a conviction.

COLD SPRING, N.Y.  -- Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith reports the arrest of a 25 year-old Cold Spring resident on criminal charges stemming from her alleged involvement in the thefts from two homes in the Village of Cold Spring.  It is alleged that Shannon Conley of 16 Furnace Street, Cold Spring, New York, stole more than $20,000 worth of jewelry and money from one home and credit cards from a second residence.   

On June 19, 2012, the Sheriff’s Office received a complaint from a Cold Spring resident reporting that jewelry and money were missing from her home.  A uniformed deputy responded to the residence to conduct the initial investigation.  The case was referred to Investigator Robert Ferris of the Sheriff’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation. 

Investigator Ferris’ probe led to suspecting Shannon Conley as being involved in that theft.  On July 13^th, Ms. Conley was interviewed at the Sheriff’s Office at which time she was found to be in possession of two credit cards that did not belong to her.  The credit cards were traced back to its rightful owner, an individual unrelated to the complaint Ms. Conley was being interviewed for.  The owner was contacted who reported that she had previously hired Ms. Conley to watch her pet and was unaware that the credit cards had been stolen.

  Further investigation revealed that Ms. Conley once was employed for several months as a babysitter for the children of the original complainant.  It was during this time period that Ms. Conley is believed to have taken jewelry and money valued at approximately $20,000.            

Much of the gold jewelry was sold as scrap; however, some of the stolen jewelry and coins were recovered by investigators at a precious metal buyer in Fishkill (NY).

Ms. Conley was charged with Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fifth Degree, a class “A” misdemeanor.  She was arraigned before Philipstown Town Justice Alan Steiner and remanded to the Putnam County Correctional Facility in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 secured bond. 

On July 17^th, Investigator Ferris filed additional criminal charges against Ms. Conley after consulting with the Putnam County District Attorney’s Office.  She was charged with Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class “D” felony and two counts of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree – each count being a class “E” felony.  Ms. Conley was arraigned before Cold Spring Village Justice Thomas Costello on those charges.  She is due to appear in Cold Spring Court to answer these criminal charges on August 8^th at 10AM.

If convicted of the most serious charge, Ms. Conley may be sentenced to a term of incarceration for up to seven years in a New York State correctional facility as determined by a court.