Deputies say a Brewster man is at the center of a massive tire theft that left a Mavis Discount Tire location in the town of Southeast short more than 200 tires worth about $37,000. Investigators followed a trail of missing inventory to surveillance footage, then used a court-authorized search to lock in their suspect. He was later arraigned in local court and released on his own recognizance with instructions to report to probation.
Investigation and arrest
The Putnam County Sheriff's Office says the case kicked off on Monday, June 1, when managers at the shop flagged ongoing inventory discrepancies and realized more than 200 tires had vanished from the books. Detectives went back through surveillance video and, according to the department, identified 39-year-old Martiliano Perez‑Vasquez of Brewster as a suspect.
On Thursday, deputies carried out a court-authorized search of his vehicle and arrested him without incident. Perez‑Vasquez was charged with third-degree grand larceny, arraigned in Carmel Justice Court and released on his own recognizance, the Sheriff's Office said. For more on the case, see Daily Voice.
What the charge means
Under New York law, grand larceny in the third degree applies when the value of stolen property tops $3,000 and is classified as a class D felony. A conviction can carry a sentence of up to seven years in state prison, though the actual penalty depends on the details of the case and a judge's discretion, according to New York Penal Law §155.35.
Local impact and next steps
Mavis is one of the nation's largest independent tire retailers and lists a Brewster location that serves the Southeast area, according to Mavis. Store managers there were the ones who brought the missing inventory to the attention of deputies.
The Putnam County Sheriff's Office says detectives are still following leads in the case and that additional charges could be filed as the investigation moves forward, according to Daily Voice.
Perez‑Vasquez was ordered to report to probation as a condition of his release. Future court dates and any additional filings have not yet been made public, and authorities have not said whether any of the missing tires have been recovered.
