8-Hour Stand-Off With Police Leads To Burglary Accusation

SHANDAKEN, NY — A Kingston man faces three felony charges after an eight-hour stand-off with police.

The Ulster County Sheriff's Office and Town of Shandaken Police Department said Thomas B. Sims, 65, of Kingston, was arrested Sunday.

Around 9:45 a.m. members of the sheriff's office, the Ulster County Emergency Response Team and the Ulster County Crisis Negotiation Team were called to a home on Creek Side Drive in Shandaken after receiving a request for assistance from the Shandaken police.

The Shandaken police had responded to the home for a possible burglary in progress.

When they arrived, they found Sims on the second floor, where he appeared to be armed with a gun.

He refused to comply with the officer and barricaded himself in a room and wouldn't come out.

After an eight-hour stand-off, the emergency response team went in and took Sims into custody.

Authorities said the home was searched and three rifles were found.

Sims was charged with second-degree burglary, second-degree criminal mischief and menacing an officer, felonies, and fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, petit larceny and resisting arrest, misdemeanors.

He was arraigned in the Town of Shandaken Justice Court and sent to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail or $500,000 bond. His next court appearance has not been set.

Shandaken police and the Ulster sheriff's were assisted by members of the Big Indian Fire Department, Shandaken Ambulance, Mobile Life, Ulster County Emergency Management, New York State Police and the state police Special Operations Response Team.

Like Hudson Valley Patches' Facebook Pages.