Woman was supposed to be at Colonie court appearance later that day allegedly robbed drug store and stole car
DELMAR – A Delanson woman who was supposed to be in a Colonie courtroom on Wednesday, Oct. 25, instead racked up 22 charges after she allegedly steals from a drug store, forcibly takes a car, and leads police on a chase going the wrong way on the Thruway.
According to reports, Bethlehem police responded to a larceny in progress at CVS at 260 Delaware Avenue and that escalated into a robbery as Betsy Jablonski, 39, and an accomplice allegedly forcibly stole a vehicle from a person in the CVS parking lot.
Officers responding to the call located the stolen vehicle and attempted to stop it. Jablonski refused to stop for officers from the Bethlehem Police Department, New York State Police, and Albany County Sheriff’s Department as the chase continued through town, into New Scotland and got on the Thruway at Ravena, traveling northbound in the southbound lane.
The County Sheriff’s units discontinued the chase at the Thruway. State police and Bethlehem followed in the northbound lane.
Jablonski eventually stopped the vehicle in the area of Exit 24 of the Thruway. She and a passenger of the vehicle fled on foot, but Jablonski was located hiding in a wooded area and taken into custody.
She was taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital with minor injuries and arrested by Bethlehem police on Friday, Oct. 27 as she was being released.
Jablonski was charged with robbery-motor vehicle, grand larceny, criminal mischief and conspiracy, all felonies, and fleeing a police officer, conspiracy, reckless driving, petit larceny and aggravated unlicensed operation, all misdemeanors.
She was also ticketed for driving the wrong way on one way street, no lights, no tail light, failure to obey a traffic device, speeding, driving to the left of pavement markings, leaving the scene of an accident, failure to stop at stop sign, red light violation and failure to keep right.
Jablonski was arraigned in Bethlehem Town Court by Judge Andrew Kirby and sent to the Albany County jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 bond.
A preliminary hearing was set for October 31, 2023.
Jablonski also had six active warrants at the time of arrest.
She was supposed to be in court
Jablonski was in our blotter a few weeks ago in Colonie for drugs, fraud and destroying evidence charges.
On Monday, Oct. 9 at 4:31 p.m., Colonie police responded to Marshall’s on Central Avenue for a report of a larceny.
A short distance from the store, officers located Jablonski allegedly with the stolen merchandise in her possession. During a search of her person, officers located a small amount of crack cocaine and pipe. Jablonski also gave a false name to police. She was taken back to the police station for processing, where, according to reports, allegedly put the cocaine and pipe down her pants in order to conceal it.
She was charged with concealing, altering or destroying physical evidence, a felony, and criminal impersonation, criminal possession of a controlled substance and petit larceny, all misdemeanors.
She was given an appearance ticket for Colonie Town Court on October 23 and released, but did not show up on that day. The appearance was rescheduled for October 25, but that was the same day she allegedly robbed the store and stole the car. The charges from the October 9 incident were not bail eligible and did not go before a judge.
When Spotlight News contacted Colonie Town Court, it was in the process of issuing a bench warrant for Jablonski. Since she is currently at the Albany County jail, that process should be easier to find her.
This story was updated at 3:25 p.m. to add details about the chase.
