WARWICK, RI — Officer Alfred Silveira was searching the area of Fair Street Sept. 9 at 12:46 a.m. following a house alarm report of broken glass when he spotted a car burglar on Toledo Avenue wearing two dark hooded sweatshirts bulging at his midsection, ultimately arresting him on a larceny charge.
The items causing the man’s sweatshirts to bulge turned out to be four pairs of Ray Ban sunglasses he admitted to stealing from unlocked cars, according to Silveira’s report. l
After spotting the man, Silveira took a right down Toledo Avenue and followed the man, who was also wearing black pants and black shoes, and stopped him, identifying him as Angel Ballista, 22, of 17 Scranton Ave., Warwick, according to the report.
Silveira asked where he was coming from, to which Ballista replied he was returning from Cumberland Farms on Warwick Avenue, where he had bought Backwoods cigars.
When Silveira asked to see the cigars, Ballista removed one of the Ray Ban cases, which were visible to the officer, from his pocket. Upon further questioning, Ballista said the sunglasses were his.
Silveira asked why Ballista was wearing all black, to which the man replied that’s what he likes to wear at night.
Silveira searched Ballista, finding four pairs of the sunglasses on his person. Following Silveira’s continued questions, Ballista admitted to stealing the sunglasses from a car on Toledo Avenue, and led Silveira to the car, a black 2007 Infinity FX-35. The homeowners confirmed three of the pairs of sunglasses had been taken from the car, and that they were valued at about $500, the officer reported.
The fourth pair had been taken from another car in the area, either on Fourth Avenue, Sabin Street or Falcon Avenue, Ballista said, though he could not recall which one, according to the report.
Silveira transported Ballista to Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive, where he was charged with one count of Larceny Under $500, and held until he could be transported to Third District Court.
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 [email protected] with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.
This is a test
