GLENMONT–A local woman mailed a check for $150 to Florida Light and Power to pay a bill, but $5,522 was withdrawn instead and deposited into the bank account of a Troy woman.
On August 2, the victim found she had a negative bank balance and inquired why. The bank said the canceled check was made out to Jessica Wilkins, 33, of Troy. The victim stopped payment on the deposited check.
According to reports, Bethlehem police had to apply for and received subpoenas for the two banks. After an investigation, Wilkins turned herself in to police on Tuesday, Oct. 29 and was charged with grand larceny – third degree. She was arraigned by Bethlehem Town Judge Thresa Egan and released on her own recognizance. Wilkins is due back in court on Tuesday, Nov. 19.
Outside warrant
GLENMONT– Bethlehem police responded to Panera Bread for an abandoned property investigation on Thursday, Oct. 31 and found the person claiming the property was wanted.
Tyriek McGraw, 28, who is homeless, was wanted by Scotia police on an active arrest warrant in the Village. He was processed and transported to meet officers from that department.
DWI after Halloween crash
DELMAR– Bethlehem police responded to a three-car motor vehicle collision on Adams Place on Halloween and found the driver was drunk.
According to reports, at 8:50 p.m., as trick or treating was winding down, a 36-year-old Westerlo man allegedly crashed his black Volkswagen Passat into two parked cars near 82 Adams Place. Multiple bystanders identified the man, standing on the sidewalk nearby, as the driver.
Upon interviewing the driver, officers observed he had slurred speech, and an odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath. He was given and failed some field sobriety tests and could not perform others due to a hip replacement.
He provided a breath sample on a pre-screening device that returned a 0.184 percent BAC and was taken into custody.
At the police station, he provided a breath sample on a calibrated device that returned a 0.16 BAC and was charged with DWI, a misdemeanor.
The man was released with an appearance ticket for Bethlehem Town Court on Tuesday, Nov. 19.
Missing man found in Clarksville Caves
NEW SCOTLAND– On Saturday, Nov. 9 at 10:18 a.m. the Albany County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a pickup truck that was parked at the trail entrance of the Clarksville Caves behind Son’s deli in the Town of New Scotland.
Upon investigation by Deputies, it was discovered that the owner of the truck, John Higgins, was reported missing out of Dutchess County on Thursday, Nov. 7.
Upon speaking with witnesses, deputies determined that Higgins had entered the trail on Thursday
November 7th around 1p.m. The Albany County Sheriff’s Office deployed the Search and Rescue Team and were assisted by the New York State Forest Rangers as well as the National Cave Rescue Commission.
Higgins was located inside an area of the cave at approximately 2 p.m. Onesquethaw EMS responded to the scene and evaluated Higgins with no report of injury. Higgins was issued an appearance ticket for trespassing and is to appear in the Town of New Scotland Court on Thursday, Nov. 21.
The Clarksville Caves are closed during the fall and winter months.
Grand theft auto in Ravena
RAVENA– On Monday, Nov. 11 at approximately 12:18 a.m., Albany County Sheriff’s Deputies, while on routine patrol in the Village of Ravena observed a black 2008 Chrysler Sedan make an illegal turn through a red light and observed that the vehicle did not have any license plates affixed to it.
During the traffic stop and interviews, Deputies identified the operator as James R. Schmidt, 47, of Albany, who had just stolen the vehicle from a business parking lot less than a mile away.
Schmidt was charged with grand larceny- third degree, criminal possession of stolen property third degree, both felonies, one count of aggravated unlicensed operator- third degree, a misdemeanor, and vehicle and traffic violations.
Schmidt was held as a pre-arraign detainee at the Albany County Correctional Facility and was scheduled for arraignment in the Town of Coeymans Court on Monday, Nov. 11.
