UTICA — A 43-year-old man was charged after allegedly driving a stolen commercial dump truck in Utica Tuesday afternoon, according to the Utica Police Department.

Police said a dump-style truck was stolen from a business on North Genesee Street sometime over the weekend.

It was reported stolen around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. Police said the truck was also hauling an attached trailer, which was carrying a forklift.

Around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, police said the stolen truck, trailer and forklift were spotted on Oriskany Street near Schuyler Street.

Officers pulled the truck over on Whitesboro Street and took the driver, 43-year-old Jason Morey, into custody.

A glass tube containing a quantity of crack cocaine was found on Morey’s person when he was taken into custody, authorities stated.

Morey is charged with second-degree possession of stolen property and seventh-degree possession of a controlled substance, police said. He is scheduled to appear in Utica City Court.

Police added that the investigation of the theft of the truck is continuing. The law enforcers said someone also stole the
catalytic converters off the truck, and used spray paint to try and obscure the business name on the doors of the truck.