WARWICK, RI —Facebook fans of the Warwick Police Department, video surveillance and tech savvy police work caught up with West Shore Road man Aug. 10 when he admitted to stealing a truck load of steel plates from an Elm Street art studio.
Warwick Police Sgt. Andy Sullivan learned of the theft Aug. 6, also learning of surveillance video the owner of the plates had posted to Facebook that clearly showed the man carefully checking a load of the steel plates, heavy enough to make the rear of his truck sit low to the street, before driving away, the Sgt. reported.
Sullivan spoke with the owner, Michael Green and was able to obtain copies of the video, which he asked Lt. Joe Hopkins to post to the Warwick Police Facebook page, which Hopkins did.
Not long after, an anonymous caller identified the thief in the video as Jason Carter, 36, of 1161 West Shore Road, Apt. 7, according to Sullivan’s report.
When Carter showed up at Warwick Police Headquarters, 99 Veterans Memorial Drive for questioning, he admitted to the theft, though he contended he’d only stolen four of the 30 sheets of steel reported missing, Sullivan reported.
Sullivan charged Carter with larceny less than $1,500, and was arraigned at Kent County Courthouse. He was scheduled for a court screening on Oct. 17 in Third District Court.
“Thanks FB friends,” Hopkins wrote in an update on the case to the orignal Facebook post.
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
