(WNY News Now) – ELLICOTTVILLE, N.Y. – A Lockport woman was taken into custody early Sunday morning after authorities discovered her with a stolen vehicle outside a convenience store while she was dousing the store windows in vinegar.
According to the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the Kwik Fill on East Washington Street at approximately 2:21 a.m. on February 9, 2025. They located Jeanette L. Valdez, 49, of Lockport, dousing herself and the store’s windows with vinegar. Nearby, officers found a vehicle that had been reported stolen out of Amherst just hours earlier.
Valdez allegedly admitted to stealing the vehicle and stated that she left the keys on the driver’s seat. She was taken into custody and transported to the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office for processing.
She was subsequently arraigned in the Town of Ellicottville Court on the following charges:
- Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Fourth Degree
- Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle in the Third Degree
- Aggravated Unlicensed Operation in the Third Degree
Valdez was released on her own recognizance and is scheduled to appear in court at a later date. As are all persons accused of a crime, the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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