File photo
He’s in for the long haul.
A New York man is charged with stealing a U-Haul van after police say he drove it from Florida, kept it three months past the return date and painted the vehicle to hide its identity.
The van, rented in March and reported stolen when it wasn’t returned, turned up this week on a property in Vienna, New York, east of Syracuse.
Police say they found the vehicle during a burglary investigation. The sides were painted with black spray paint to disguise it, but a U-Haul logo could still be seen at the top of the windshield.
Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.
The 25-year-old man from Blossvale was charged this week with possession of stolen property, criminal mischief and grand larceny. He was jailed pending arraignment.
Online court records did not list a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.
Police say the spray paint caused nearly $10,000 in damage to the van. They say the man also removed the vehicle’s catalytic convertor, costing another $1,000.
