(Earlville) A town of Hamilton resident contacted the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and reported that someone broke into and stole 10 firearms and a large ammunition box from his residence. The burglary took place and was reported Jan. 31.
Investigators and a crime scene technician responded to assist in the preliminary phases of the incident.
Within 24 hours, Madison County Sheriff’s Office investigators and deputies conducted a traffic stop in the village of Earlville on a vehicle driven by Alex J. Rifenburg, 23, of Earlville. Through the course of the investigation, information developed indicating Rifenburg was considered to be a person of interest.
As a result of the traffic stop, seven stolen guns valued at $5,300 were recovered from Rifenburg’s vehicle. The guns consisted of one revolver, three semi-automatic pistols and three shotguns. Six of the recovered firearms were stolen from the Hamilton residence.
One of the recovered shotguns was reported stolen in Fulton in 1993; the investigation continues on that weapon between Sheriff’s Investigators and NYS Police Investigators.
Madison County investigators arrested Rifenburg and charged him with six counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property (class E felonies) and one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon (class C felony). Rifenburg was arraigned in Hamilton Village Court and was remanded to the Madison County Jail in lieu of $50,000 cash bail or $100,000 bond.
The Otsego County Sheriff’s Office later conducted a search warrant on Rifenburg’s residence in Morris, Otsego County. The remaining four stolen firearms and the ammunition box were recovered from the residence. Rifenburg is facing additional charges in Otsego County as a result of the search warrant.