Milk bottle rustling
Update October 10, 2013: APD says it's arrested the guy.
From the odd alleged crime file: Someone is apparently going around Albany neighborhoods stealing bottles out of the boxes for home-delivered milk.
Bernard emails:
My family has been dealing with the lamest criminal ever for a couple of weeks now. I'd appreciate it if you could share this with your audience. My understanding from the Meadowbrook dairy folks is that they are getting many reports of stolen milk from folks in the New Scotland Ave, Center Square and South End.
This guy is basically driving his bike around 3-5 days a week from 6-7:30 in the morning to steal milk bottles. (Yes, you can still get milk delivered.) The cops and the dairy are pretty sure that he either steals empties, or dumps the full bottle so that he can return them to stores like the food coop, shop-rite, fresh market for a whopping $2.
As a geek, I of course seized this annoyance as an opportunity to buy (an incredibly cheap) wifi network camera with night vision. So here he is. Albany people, if you recognize this dude or see a guy with neon yellow sneakers stealing crap from people, please let me know and call the Albany police.
Bernard's video is embedded above.
We talked with the Albany Police Department about the situation. APD spokesman Steve Smith says they've gotten two official reports of recent milk bottle thefts -- one in the New Scotland neighborhood, the other in Center Square -- but they believe there have been "several" other incidents.
(We've also heard, secondhand, that in one case the milk was poured out before the bottle was taken. And that would be a crime -- Meadowbrook milk is delicious.)
If you have info about the bottle thefts, call the APD: (518) 438-4000.
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Comments
Huh
Just out of curiosity...
I'm in the market for a wifi camera to livestream the pygmy goats in my back yard. What camera did you purchase?
... said Craig on Sep 17, 2013 at 2:38 PM | link
Wow. This is incredibly offensive, as well as really lame. The video is good quality so I hope it leads to an ID. I would love to see the look on the the face of the star when he views it.
... said KM on Sep 17, 2013 at 2:53 PM | link
I heard from the milkman (yay Meadowbrook Farms!) that the thief was redeeming them at the Honest Weight Food Co-op. They've told him they will no longer accept any returns from him (yay HWFC!) and at least one person in the Center Square neighborhood has confronted him. Haven't heard any more reports of thefts in the last week.
... said Barry T on Sep 17, 2013 at 3:00 PM | link
wow. just when you think you've seen it all.
that is so incredibly bold and thieving and unbelievable.
not only does the DAYLIGHT not deter him, but the dog/baby gate doesn't either. flabbergasting.
... said Rebecca on Sep 17, 2013 at 3:15 PM | link
Uncle Bob!
... said ChuckD on Sep 17, 2013 at 4:23 PM | link
someone please tell Craig what camera was used. I NEED a live stream of pygmy goats in my life.
neon yellow sneakers are not the best choice for a criminal.
... said colleen on Sep 17, 2013 at 4:30 PM | link
Dont know whats more offensive, that hes stealing milk bottles or those hideous homemade denim capri pants he's wearing.
... said Albany Archives on Sep 17, 2013 at 4:51 PM | link
@Craig: It's a D-Link 5010L. Works pretty good and has IR... so you could have 24x7 goat coverage!
It isn't outdoor rated, but at like $80, you could burn through 4 of them and be about even in terms of cost!
... said bduffy on Sep 17, 2013 at 6:20 PM | link
Colleen, I was thinking "tennis ball green" but yes, it should be easy to spot this idiot.
... said Ryan on Sep 17, 2013 at 6:31 PM | link
I called the cops on him last Tuesday. He was going house to house in the Center Square area at 6:15am and he was wearing those neon sneakers and a red hat.
... said Christina on Sep 17, 2013 at 9:51 PM | link
Are we sure that's a dude?
... said Spencer on Sep 18, 2013 at 7:54 AM | link
Great character for a novel
... said Jeff S on Sep 18, 2013 at 8:43 AM | link
What's the deal at 1:31 when the door shuts?
... said Jeff S on Sep 18, 2013 at 8:52 AM | link
This guy brings the concept of petty crime to a new low. What an underachiever to stoop (literally) to stealing milk bottles. How much money is in stolen milk bottles?
... said chrisck on Sep 18, 2013 at 9:17 AM | link
how can i get milk delivered? didn't know they still do that.
... said james on Sep 18, 2013 at 10:55 AM | link
Looks like the face of desperation to me. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a serious drug addiction behind these petty thefts.
... said Kerosena on Sep 18, 2013 at 1:52 PM | link
@James: give Meadow brook farms a call if you live in Albany: 768-2451
... said James at 46 on Sep 18, 2013 at 2:13 PM | link
I swear to god, if this happens to me, I'm filling my milk box with Bees.
... said Dan on Sep 22, 2013 at 4:48 PM | link
@Craig: It's a D-Link 5010L. Works pretty good and has IR... so you could have 24x7 goat coverage!
It isn't outdoor rated, but at like $80, you could burn through 4 of them and be about even in terms of cost!
... said bduffy on Sep 28, 2013 at 3:39 PM | link
Well, one year later and now we are victims of the same crime. Really annoyed! Does anyone else have this problem now?
... said Nancy on Sep 29, 2014 at 10:16 PM | link