UTICA — A 55-year-old Utica man faces multiple burglary charges after allegedly stealing from a South Utica grocery store where he had previously been banned.
Milton Spinks was arrested on April 30 after Utica Police responded to Price Chopper regarding a male concealing items in a book bag.
Loss prevention associates recognized Spinks as someone who had been arrested several times previously for larceny crimes and had been issued a ban letter from the property.
Police were informed that Spinks had allegedly committed multiple larceny offenses at the same location in the previous week.
Spinks was charged with two counts of burglary in the third degree and two counts of petit larceny.
The charges follow a recent initiative between the Utica Police Department, the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office, and local retailers to address retail theft.
Under this initiative, repeat offenders who have received trespass or ban notifications will face higher-level charges, including burglary, when they commit crimes within establishments they’ve been banned from.
Police officials noted that bail reform laws have allowed some individuals to commit numerous larcenies while only receiving appearance tickets, resulting in immediate release and reoffending.
