Man charged with grand larceny after stealing school bus in utica

Man Charged with Grand Larceny After Stealing School Bus in Utica

UTICA, NY—A 29-year-old man has been arrested and charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property following the theft of a school bus in Utica. The incident, which culminated in a police intervention, occurred on the morning of June 25.

Utica Police were dispatched around 8:15 AM to the intersection of Eagle Street and Park Avenue after Durham Bus employees reported a missing school bus. Using GPS tracking, the employees located the bus near the intersection. As they prepared to retrieve it, they were approached by Daniel Finley, who claimed ownership of both the bus and an accompanying tablet.

Finley insisted that the bus was his and refused to relinquish it, prompting the employees to contact the police. Upon arrival, officers detained Finley for investigation. Further review of the bus’s camera footage revealed that Finley had indeed stolen the bus at approximately 1:00 AM and had driven it to the location where he was eventually confronted.

Following the investigation, Finley, who has no known address, was formally charged with grand larceny in the fourth degree and criminal possession of stolen property.

Shore News Network

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.