Kyle Folkes, a 27-year-old from New Rochelle, was apprehended Tuesday for the alleged possession of the geodes stolen last week from Rye Arts Center.
Rye detectives set up an undercover buy operation at noon Tuesday in Harbor Island Park in Mamaroneck. According to a release from Rye PD, Folkes was apprehended shortly after he showed the stolen merchandise to an undercover officer. The estimated value of the two recovered geodes is $10,908.
“Five were reported stolen from the Arts Center. We recovered two,” said Rye Police Lt. Michael Anfuso. “The case is still open.”
Police received a tip from a member of the public on March 25 that led detectives to Folkes’ Facebook Marketplace page. As of Wednesday morning, six geodes are currently listed for sale by Folkes, ranging in price from $750 to $4,500.
Each listing includes a video of the geodes resting on an outdoor tarp, with detailed descriptions and explanations of why the listed price is a “steal.”
On the most expensive listing, which was reduced in price from $6,000 to $4,500, Folkes wrote: “It is statistically improbable to find a cluster over 100 lbs that hasn’t been shattered or split during the mining process. A 105 lb specimen represents millions of years of geological growth. In retail galleries (like those in Las Vegas or NYC), clusters of this size and weight are regularly priced between $8,000 and $15,000.”
Folkes was processed and charged with criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree, a class D felony. He was arraigned in the Village of Mamaroneck’s Court and released on his own recognizance with a return date of April 9, 2026.
One geode was stolen from the garden outside of Rye Arts Center in February, then four more went missing over the weekend of March 21. Security cameras installed after the first theft weren’t working properly during the time of the second theft, police said.
The geodes were loaned to Rye Arts Center by Robert R. Wiener, a Mamaroneck resident whose large collection is on display at area galleries and museums, including a permanent exhibition at The Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Conn.
Five geodes were stolen from the garden at Rye Arts Center. Photo courtesy of Rye Police Department
