Not Guilty: Jury Acquits Rochester Man of Caledonia Purse Theft Charges

LIVINGSTON COUNTY – A jury acquitted a Rochester man of multiple felony criminal charges relating to breaking a car window in a Caledonia church parking lot and stealing a purse and GPS from inside.

Bruce Reid, 54, was found not guilty of felony Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree, misdemeanor Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree, and misdemeanor Petit Larceny.

“The People had a lot of evidence that the defendant’s car was at the scene of the crime, but they couldn’t prove that he was driving it,” said Reid’s attorney, Assistant Public Defender James McCann. “Basically, they could put his car there, not him.”

According to the New York State Department of Correctional Services, Reid has been in and out of prison since 1981 for various kinds of felony theft. He has not spent longer than two years out of prison since 1981.

On April 11, 2015, during the Saturday evening Mass at St. Columba Church, a vehicle parked in the church parking lot had its window broken out and a Vera Bradley bag with GPS unit stolen. Caledonia Police arrested Reid in connection to the crime.

Reid’s court appearances in Livingston County have been punctuated by outbursts and talking over Judge Dennis Cohen on the record. He refused to work with Assistant Public Defender John D’Arpino, insisting that police documents had been altered and D’Arpino was not investigating correctly.

Judge Cohen ordered that another attorney be provided for Reid. At first, Reid refused to work with McCann, saying that he had an irreconcilable conflict with the Livingston County Public Defenders Office. During trial alongside McCann, however, Reid was quiet.

“That is the system,” said Assistant District Attorney Victor Rowcliffe, who prosecuted the case. “The jury looked at the evidence and chose to acquit.”