Police: Ex-con robbed man, crashed car

A man previously convicted of stealing cars was arrested early this morning after police said he robbed a man of his gold chain in Greenport, fled in a stolen car, and proceeded to crash it while being chased by cops in Cutchogue.

Southold Police received a call from a man saying that while he was in the Adams Street parking lot, someone had “forcefully ripped off a gold chain from around his neck,” punched him in the face, and fled the scene in a car. After responding to the descriptions the man provided, police reported that they spotted the vehicle in the Peconic area.

Three cops allegedly attempted to pull the man over, and were led on a brief pursuit until they reported that 35-year-old Joseph Reiter of Riverhead, crashed on Route 25 in Cutchogue. Police said the car he was driving was reported stolen out of Southampton Town.

According to the New York Department of Corrections, Reiter had previously served time for two convictions. In 2007, he was convicted of two counts of grand larceny in the fourth degree for stealing automobiles, as well as criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, both felonies. He served three and a half months. More recently, he served time between 2009 and 2010 after being convicted of attempted grand larceny in the third degree and criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, both felonies.

Reiter – whose girlfriend Kristina Tfelt was the victim of a fatal hit-and-run in July on Route 58 – had been arrested in late August by Riverhead Town Police after police said he violated a court order.

Southold Police charged Reiter with third-degree robbery, fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property – both felonies – as well as unlawful fleeing from a police officer in the third degree, a misdemeanor, and unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation.

He is being held and is due for arraignment.