A Yonkers man is in custody after police say he robbed a bank and held a man hostage in Ulster County for nearly six hours Thursday.
Police say 30-year-old Michael Kauffman released his hostage, 76-year-old Carmel Forrester, and surrendered after lengthy negotiations. According to investigators, Kauffman robbed a Key Bank in the Town of Ulster around 12 p.m. After fleeing and abandoning his car, he tried to break into another house 30 miles away in Lloyd before arriving at Forrester's home. A man and his 3-year-old son were with Forrester when Kauffman arrived armed with a gun. They were able to flee.
Police say Kauffman is a fugitive who reportedly escaped from a Kentucky jail where he is serving a sentence for drug and weapons charges. Police say he is also a suspect in several bank robberies.