A 29-year-old male has been taken into custody by UTICA Police in relation to two armed vehicle thefts that took place on June 24 and 25 via an internet marketplace.
Police claim Robert Collins used a weapon to steal cars from vendors who thought they were meeting a real customer. Collins was charged with two counts of second-degree robbery.
According to police, Collins made arrangements to meet car vendors at various sites throughout the city after contacting them via an online marketplace.
According to authorities, Collins would scare the sellers with a revolver when they came, then take their car keys and run away.
Following a collision with two other vehicles in the 1400 block of Steuben Street, the seller was able to track down their stolen vehicle in the first incident.
According to authorities, a similar occurrence happened on June 25 at around 7:30 p.m.
The fact that Collins’ online name appeared in both occurrences and surveillance footage taken close to the crime scenes led investigators to suspect him.
The Utica Police Department and Oneida County Sheriff’s Office Warrants Units found and detained Collins on June 27.
For processing, he was taken to the Utica Police Department.
