Detectives say a New Rochelle man walked into a rock-solid sting operation after trying to unload nearly $11,000 worth of geodes stolen from the Rye Arts Center. Police arranged an undercover meet-up at Harbor Island Park in Mamaroneck on March 31 and arrested the 27-year-old at the scene, according to officials.
How police say they cracked the case
The trail started online, when a member of the public spotted the stones advertised for sale and alerted investigators, according to Patch. Detectives traced the Facebook Marketplace listing, confirmed it matched the missing pieces from the Rye Arts Center display, and set up an undercover operation to get the rocks back.
Undercover buy leads to arrest
At about noon on March 31, an undercover officer met the seller at Harbor Island Park in Mamaroneck. When the man produced two geodes, officers say they matched the stolen items and moved in to make the arrest, as reported by Larchmont Loop. Local reports identify the suspect as 27-year-old Kyle Folkes of New Rochelle. Police valued the recovered rocks at $10,908. Folkes was released on his own recognizance and given a return date of April 9.
Missing pieces and the garden
The geodes were part of a loaned collection owned by Robert R. Wiener, who has lent pieces to museums and galleries around the region, Rye Record reported. That outlet also noted the outdoor display at the Rye Arts Center had already been hit by thefts in February and that newly installed security cameras were not fully functioning when additional geodes vanished.
Legal note
Folkes is charged with criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree, a class D felony in New York that applies when the value of stolen goods is more than $3,000, according to New York law. Local coverage has pointed out that prosecutors could pursue a prison sentence if they move forward on the charge and secure a conviction at trial.
What’s next
The recovered geodes are expected to remain in police custody as evidence and then be returned to the Rye Arts Center once the case is wrapped up, according to Larchmont Loop. Police have asked anyone with information to contact the Rye Police Department at 914-967-1234. The defendant is due back in Mamaroneck Village Court on April 9.
