A U.S. Army soldier from the Schoharie County town of Wright was arrested last week in connection with a two-year-old break-in at a local home that involved the theft of several guns.
State police in Cobleskill stated in a news release that Luke T. Aulita, 21, who had been stationed in Washington State, returned to New York State voluntarily and was arrested on January 11. He is charged with fourth-degree possession of stolen property, a felony charge.
Aulita had recently returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan, according to a news account from the Times-Union. An Associated Press account states that Aulita was in the Army at the time he allegedly stole the guns:
Police say Aulita was already in the Army when he stole a .30-06 rifle, a .243-caliber rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun in March 2011. Authorities say they weren't able to charge him until after he returned from Afghanistan to Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Wash., where he's a private in a field artillery unit with the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team of the 2nd Infantry Division.
Aulita was arraigned before Justice Kenneth Knutsen in Town of Schoharie Court, and remanded to Schoharie County jail on $10,000 cash bail.
