Homeless Man Arrested

For Stealing From Cars

ONEONTA – A homeless man was arrested by state troopers and charged with stealing items from cars on Southside Drive and Glen Drive in Oneonta, according to Trooper Aga Dembinska, Troop C Public Information Officer.

Eric M. Meade, 26 (Homeless) of Oneonta, was arrested after troopers were dispatched to a complaint of a theft in progress on Southside Drive in the town of Oneonta just after 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 13.

Troopers spotted Meade, who fit a description provided by a homeowner, and an investigation revealed that Meade was allegedly in possession of coins that were stolen out of unlocked cars on Southside Drive. The investigation also revealed he had also allegedly taken items from an unlocked vehicle on Glen Drive.

Meade was charged with the misdemeanors of Petit Larceny, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the fifth degree and Criminal Trespass in the third degree and released on appearance ticket. The following morning at approximately 1:20 a.m., troopers received a complaint for a suspicious person on East Street, Oneonta. Meade was allegedly captured on surveillance checking door handles to a vehicle, but the vehicle was locked.

There have been more than a dozen car break-ins in the Oneonta area, said Dembinska, and both Cooperstown and the Otsego County Sheriff’s Department have reported complaints of items taken from cars. Dembinska said it was unclear if there was one suspect or multiple suspects.

“In this area, most people don’t lock their cars,” said Otsego County Sheriff Richard J. Devlin Jr. “But they need to get in the habit of locking their car, and not leaving valuables inside.”