Entering auto arrests made in Albany

ALBANY — Over the last several days, arrests have been made in multiple entering auto cases, officials with the Albany Police Department said.

Phyllis Banks, spokeswoman for the APD, said Zadarrius Cox, 19, was arrested after removing a handgun and a wallet from a victim’s car on the 2000 block of McIntosh Road on Saturday. Meanwhile, a 17-year-old Charles Reed, Jr. has been charged in connection to three entering auto cases, one in which a Glock 43 was stolen out of a vehicle and later recovered.

Reports show the first incident Reed was charged with took place shortly after 11 p.m. at 1026 Forest Glen Drive on Monday. The victim left his vehicle unlocked, and returned to find the front door open and a flip-open knife and $20 in coins missing from the center console, which was discovered open along with the glove compartment.

Contact was made with Reed, who had a knife matching the description of the one stolen.

The second incident was reported at 1012 Forest Glen Drive at around 1 a.m. on Tuesday. In that case, the rear passenger side window was broken and a black backpack containing the victim’s driver’s license, a wallet, two debit cards and a bag with medications and makeup was stolen, the report said.

The third was reported at 9:21 a.m. Tuesday at 1907 E. Lakeridge Drive. There, windows on two separate vehicles were damaged. Between both vehicles, the items taken were a .38 Smith and Wesson revolver and a Glock 43 9 mm Smith and Wesson gun. Reed was found trying to hide the Glock 43 in a wooded area near Lake Loretta, police said.

This followed the arrest of Frankie Carl Williams, 52, last week in connection to entering auto thefts on the 2300 block of Whispering Pines on March 24 during which police said he entered someone’s car and took coins, and entered someone else’s car and took a GPS device.

Albany police are encouraging residents to report suspicious activity in their neighborhoods, and to keep cars locked and valuables removed.