Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith reports the arrest of a 27-year-old Philipstown woman on criminal charges stemming from her alleged involvement in three residential burglaries. On Nov. 10, the Sheriff’s Office received a complaint from a resident of Stone Hill Road in Philipstown that her home had just been burglarized. The caller said she confronted a female intruder in her front yard, who told the homeowner her name and that she was looking for her dog. The suspect then left the area on foot.
Uniformed deputies and investigators responded and after a several-hour search of nearby wooded areas and houses, a woman fitting the witness’ description was located and identified as Elizabeth Rivera of the village of Cold Spring. Rivera was taken to the sheriff’s Philipstown substation and interviewed. As a result of that interview and physical evidence uncovered, investigators claimed that Rivera unlawfully entered the complainant’s home and stole jewelry. Further investigation led to allegations that Rivera burglarized two other residences in the same neighborhood within the past few weeks. Reportedly, Rivera would walk through a residential neighborhood with her dog, looking to break into a house and, if confronted, respond that she was looking for her lost dog. Investigators recovered jewelry reported stolen from the homes and the investigation is ongoing.
Rivera was charged with three counts of burglary in the second degree, each count a class “C” felony. She was arraigned before Philipstown Town Justice Alan Steiner and remanded to the Putnam County Correctional Facility in lieu of bail. She is scheduled to return to court on Dec. 12. If convicted of any count, Rivera may be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.
