![[CREDIT: Rob Borkowski] Kent County Courthouse on Quaker Lane, Warwick, RI. A Warwick man is in court Monday on a stolen plates larceny charge stemming from a Feb. 5 theft.](https://e8dgfhu6pow.exactdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Kent-County11-e1570493692624-336x233.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&ssl=1)
Surveillance video footage of the van during the time of the apparent theft supported a Warwick Police warrant for the arrest of a Harlan Hays, 46, of 445 Oakland Beach Ave., Apt. #2, on a larceny charge, according to Warwick Police records.
At 9:30 a.m. Feb. 3, Officer Robert Lewis responded to a call from Distribuidora Monte Peniel, LLC, at 205 Hallene Road, Warwick, RI, reporting that the stolen plates had been taken from one of the company’s vans.
Reviews of the area the van was parked at during the time the plates were stolen showed members of a snow removal company near the van at about 4:30 am. Feb. 3. At about 5:50 a.m., Hays is observed kneeling near the front of the van. Harlan next walks back to his truck and when he is observed near the van again a few seconds later, the plate is missing, according to the report.
After observing the video, Lewis obtained an arrest warrant for Hays for one count of larceny.
The warrant was executed Thursday, March 13, at 5:50 p.m., when Officer Dylan A Estrella arrested Hays as his home, charging him with larceny, less than $1,500.
According to Estrella’s report, he and Officer Kyle Fitzsimmons spotted Hays driving near his home in Oakland Beach that day and watched him as he entered his home. As the officers watched the building, Estrella spotted Hays peering out a window at them. Estrella called to him and asked him to come out, and his complied.
The officers arrested Hays without incident and transported him to Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, where they charged him with one count of larceny for the stolen plates and held him overnight for arraignment as a parole violator. Hays was arraigned in Third District Court March 14, and scheduled for a pretrial conference April 14.
He is due in Third District Court today for a pretrial conference on the charge.
Author: Rob Borkowski
Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at editor@warwickpost.com with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.
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