Stolen Wallets, Credit Cards, IDs Found In Cargo Van, 5 Arrested: Police

NORTH MERRICK, NY. — Three adults and two juveniles were arrested Thursday morning after police said they were found in a cargo van with credit cards, wallets and identification cards.

Nassau County police said 21-year-old Travis Gittens, 18-year-old Jayda Joseph, 20-year-old Woodbenz Joseph and two unidentified minors, a 17-year-old girl and a 16-year-old boy, were in a 2025 U-Haul cargo van on Van Nostrand Avenue Thursday morning when police stopped the vehicle. Police said the stop came after officers received a report of a suspicious person and vehicle in the area.

During the traffic stop, police said they saw multiple credit cards, wallets and identification cards, which upon investigation were found to be stolen from several vehicles in the area.

All five of the van’s occupants were arrested without incident, police said. Jayda and Woodbenz Joseph, as well as Travis Gittens, were charged with three fourth-degree counts of criminal possession of stolen property, while Woodbenz Joseph was also charged with petit larceny, police said.

The 16-year-old boy was charged with two fourth-degree counts of criminal possession of stolen property, a fourth-degree count of grand larceny, a count of petit larceny and a count of attempted criminal possession of stolen property, police said.

The 17-year-old girl, meanwhile, was charged with two counts of criminal possession of stolen property and a count of attempted criminal possession of stolen property, police said.

All five, police said, were released on desk appearance tickets.