Same day, multiple thefts, gave fake name
GLENMONT — A Troy woman who allegedly stole from five stores in one summer afternoon used another person’s identification when arrested. When police checked fingerprints, they found that Shannon L. Hughes, 38, used a similar name, but it wasn’t hers.
According to reports, Bethlehem police responded to the Five Below on Feura Bush Road on Tuesday, Aug. 20, at 3:27 p.m. for a larceny in progress, where a woman walked out with merchandise. Police found Hughes’ empty car at the CVS on Route 9W, but she returned with stolen items from that store and was interviewed by officers.
Hughes admitted to the officer that she had taken items from HomeGoods, Marshall’s, Dollar Tree, CVS, and Five Below. An inventory revealed merchandise from all the stores.
Only Five Below and CVS chose to press charges, as the others had recovered their merchandise. Hughes was charged with two counts of petit larceny, both misdemeanors, processed, and released with an appearance ticket.
Four days later, the fingerprints returned a different identity, and police filed an arrest warrant application. Hughes turned herself in to police on Monday, Sept. 30, and was charged with two counts each of forgery, a felony, and criminal impersonation and criminal impersonation-signature, both misdemeanors.
She was arraigned on all the charges by Bethlehem Town Judge Theresa Egan and released on her own recognizance. Hughes is scheduled to return to court on Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Two times check fraud
SLINGERLANDS — A Schenectady man attempted to cash a check at two local financial institutions but ended up with felony charges from both.
According to reports, Bethlehem police responded to Broadview Credit Union on Tuesday, Oct. 1, for a report of a man attempting to cash a fraudulent check. Upon arrival, Michael Deverardinis, 34, was speaking with a teller while presenting the check. Police took him into custody at that point.
He was charged with possession of a forged instrument and grand larceny-fourth degree, both felonies.
Police found that Deverardinis had an outstanding arrest warrant from Bethlehem police for another incident at Citizens Bank on Tuesday, Sept. 10, involving another fraudulent check. Bank staff had contacted the account owner and learned the check had been written to a doctor’s office and was possibly stolen from the mail. The staff made a copy of his license and retained the check, but Deverardinis left before police arrived.
He was charged with grand larceny-fourth degree and possession of a forged instrument-second degree, both felonies, and possession of a forged instrument-third degree, a misdemeanor.
Deverardinis was arraigned by Bethlehem Town Judge Andrew Kirby and released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled back in court on Wednesday, Nov. 6.
DWI on Van Dyke Road
DELMAR — Bethlehem police responded to a 911 call for an erratic driver near the high school on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 2:35 p.m. Radio reports indicated the driver had turned onto Van Dyke Road and was traveling on the wrong side of the road. By the time officers caught up with the vehicle, it had crashed into a ditch.
Fire and EMS were dispatched to the intersection with Coorte Place, but the driver, the sole occupant, was uninjured. However, the 75-year-old woman from Delmar was found to be intoxicated.
When officers approached the vehicle, the driver was continuously pressing the accelerator, and the officer had to instruct her to turn off the car. After assisting the woman out of the vehicle, officers noted the odor of alcohol on her breath, her watery eyes, slurred speech, and unsteady gait.
She failed field sobriety tests and tested positive for alcohol on a pre-screening device, with a BAC of 0.19 percent. Although this exceeds the threshold for an aggravated DWI charge, the pre-screening device is not legally calibrated.
At the police station, she provided a breath sample that returned a BAC of 0.13 percent on a calibrated device. She was charged with DWI, a misdemeanor, and ticketed for moving unsafely from a lane.
The woman is scheduled to return to Bethlehem Town Court on Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Stolen identity,
attempted withdrawal
SLINGERLANDS — A Queens woman was arrested on Tuesday, Oct. 1, for attempting to drain the bank account of a Slingerlands victim in November 2023, but Sherrie Sanz, 58, never succeeded in withdrawing the funds.
According to reports, the victim was contacted by employees at Broadview’s Albany branch when a woman using her information on a driver’s license attempted to withdraw $8,000 from the account. The teller was suspicious and stopped the transaction. State Police in Clifton Park contacted Bethlehem police in December, sharing information about the suspect. They had apprehended Sanz in July for a similar fraud case, and she was due back in court shortly after.
Sanz failed to appear in court on Dec. 13, and an arrest warrant was issued.
On Oct. 1, Bethlehem police were notified by Saratoga County jail that they had Sanz in custody, and detectives responded to take her into custody.
Sanz was charged with grand larceny-third degree and identity theft, both felonies, and unlawful possession of personal identification for a crime, possession of a forged instrument, and criminal impersonation, all misdemeanors.
She was arraigned by Bethlehem Town Judge Andrew Kirby, who set bail at $100 and returned her to Saratoga County jail. Sanz is scheduled to return to court on Wednesday, Nov. 6.
No registration,
no license, had a warrant
SELKIRK — Bethlehem police stopped a vehicle on Creble Road for a lapsed registration on Thursday, Oct. 3, and found the driver did not have a valid license but did have an active warrant.
According to reports, Brennan Robinson, 39, of Selkirk, was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation and operating an unregistered vehicle, both misdemeanors. He was also taken into custody on an open warrant from Albany County Family Court.
Robinson was arraigned by Albany County Judge Amy Joyce and released.
Warrant
BALLSTON SPA — A Schenectady woman with a history of at least 12 arrests for larcenies in the area was back in Bethlehem Town Court after failing to appear to face charges for cashing a fraudulent check in 2022. Casey Francis, 42, was picked up at Saratoga County jail on a bench warrant.
In 2023, Francis was arrested on several warrants in the area, including for bail jumping.
She was arraigned by Judge Andrew Kirby and released under the supervision of probation. Francis is scheduled to return to court on Wednesday, Nov. 6.