3 Accused Of Stealing From Mailboxes Around Lake Mahopac

MAHOPAC, NY — A local man and two people from Brooklyn stopped Dec. 1 by Carmel police are accused of stealing mail, credit cards and checks from victims in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Tennessee.

The arrests took place after a vigilant resident who observed a suspicious vehicle in the area of West Lake Boulevard called police to report that its occupants appeared to be stealing mail out of mailboxes.

Police located a vehicle matching the description shortly afterward on Route 6N in Mahopac.

The driver was Vitaliy Lutso, 27 of Brooklyn. There were two passengers: Tetiana Alive-Yolosovych, 29, of Brooklyn; and Mykola Popadynets, 24, of Mahopac.

Police said Lutso was driving with a suspended license, suspended registration and fraudulent Delaware registration tag.

Police alleged they found several pieces of stolen mail belonging to Mahopac residents inside the vehicle, as well as several stolen credit cards and about 80 stolen checks belonging to victims in NY, NJ, CT, and TN.

All three people were taken into custody and transported to Carmel Police headquarters for processing, arraigned on charges by Camel Town Justice Thomas Jacobellis and sent to the Putnam County Correctional Facility. Popadynets faces additional charges as, police said, he was wanted on a warrant from Broward County, Florida.

• Mykola Popadynets – Charged with Petit Larceny, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property 4th degree and 5th degree, and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th degree. Popadynets was also charged with being a fugitive from justice, due to an active warrant out of Broward County FL, for Larceny and Fraud. Bail was set at $50,000 cash or $150,000 bond.
• Tetiana Alive-Volosovych – Charged with Petit Larceny, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property 4th degree and 5th degree, and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th degree. Bail was set at $5,000 cash or $15,000 bond.
• Vitaliy Lutso – Charged with Aggravated Unlicensed Operation, Operating with a Suspended
• Registration, Operating a vehicle without Insurance, Possession of a Forged Instrument 3rd degree, Petit Larceny, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property 4th and 5th degree, and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th degree. Bail was set at $5,000 cash or $15,000 bond.