Washingtonville Man Arrested After Allegedly Stealing Newburgh Cab Feb. 15

City of Newburgh police arrested 25-year-old Esleiter Reyesrueda of Washingtonville after authorities say he took a City of Newburgh taxicab while the driver briefly went into a gas station at 405 Broadway. Newburgh officials said the theft occurred at approximately 4:40 a.m. on Sunday, February 15.

Police accounts place the sequence earlier in the night: the cab driver entered the gas station at 405 Broadway at around 3:40 a.m. while Reyesrueda remained in the vehicle. According to the account, Reyesrueda "got behind the wheel and took off while the cabbie was inside the store." The taxi and the suspect were located about an hour later, and Reyesrueda was arrested in Washingtonville, Newburgh officials said.

The arresting agency is listed as the City of Newburgh police; the city’s initial statements identify Reyesrueda by name and list his Washingtonville residence. The public summary provided after the incident does not specify any criminal charges filed against Reyesrueda, nor does it include the taxi’s medallion, plate or company name, the cab driver’s identity, or whether the vehicle sustained damage.

Timing in the available account contains an apparent discrepancy: one police account ties the driver’s entry at 405 Broadway to about 3:40 a.m., while Newburgh officials also describe the theft or arrest as occurring "at approximately 4:40 a.m." The timeline in police dispatch records, taxi GPS or surveillance footage from the gas station would confirm whether 4:40 a.m. refers to the vehicle’s disappearance or the subsequent arrest in Washingtonville.

The case raises questions about operational protocols for taxi operators and interagency coordination. City of Newburgh police are recorded as the arresting agency despite the suspect being located in Washingtonville, suggesting either cross-jurisdictional tracking by Newburgh officers or cooperation with Washingtonville police; police incident reports and computer-aided dispatch logs should state which department physically effected the arrest and what investigative tools - such as license plate readers or GPS - were used to locate the cab.

No injuries, property-loss details or driver statements are included in the available account. Anyone with information about the Feb. 15 incident at 405 Broadway or the taxi’s recovery in Washingtonville should contact City of Newburgh police. Public records such as the police arrest report, booking sheet and court docket will be needed to confirm charges, arraignment details and custody status.