An investigation into the impersonation of a state police investigator has yielded an arrest for troopers in Clarence. Patrick T. Fuhr, 49, of Franklinville, was charged with five counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and first-degree criminal impersonation, both felony counts. Investigators were alerted to the potential impersonation when an area rental car agency reported "a suspicious subject attempting to obtain a billing account for rental cars." That "subject" had identified himself as police officer Patrick T. Frank, a senior investigator with the New York State Courts Domestic Abuse Unit.
Police allegedly found Fuhr in possession of counterfeit identification cards that bore the identity of the fictitious officer Frank. It is alleged that Fuhr used the false identity to obtain approximately 22 rental cars from a different rental car agency.
Investigation continues, and further charges are pending.
Meanwhile, troopers in Boston, N.Y., are looking for information related to the theft of a safe from the Land Masters Group landscaping company, located at 3021 Transit Road in Elma. The incident occurred between the hours of 3:00pm, Sunday, and 7:00am, Monday. Anyone with information should contact the state police in Boston at (716) 941-9300.
In Batavia, the Genesee County Local Drug Taskforce announced an arrest made Friday at the home of Jeffrey Plath, 44, of 12 Hutchins Place, Batavia. Plath is accused of selling handguns, which he legally possessed, to individuals who did not have gun permits in exchange for money or illegal drugs. An undercover member of the taskforce purchased one handgun from Plath. Another was recovered in the city of Rochester. The county force was joined in the investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms in Rochester, where Plath will be tried on federal charges.
All of the above arrests were reported in published releases from the departments.
