SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY — A man was arrested after allegedly stealing cigarettes and threatening police officers with a knife outside a convenience store Friday afternoon.
At approximately 3 p.m. on Nov. 7, two Saratoga Springs police officers were in the parking lot of the Stewart’s Shops on Church Street in a marked police vehicle when a store employee alerted them that an individual had forcibly stolen cigarettes from behind the counter.
The employee identified the suspect to the officers, who immediately identified themselves as police officers and attempted to take the individual into custody.
The suspect refused to comply with verbal commands, produced a knife from his pocket, and began threatening the officers.
After repeated commands, the suspect ultimately dropped the knife and was taken into custody without further incident.
The suspect was identified as Craig Valcik, 45, of Cohoes, New York.
Valcik was charged with robbery in the 1st degree, menacing a police officer or peace officer, criminal possession of a weapon in the 3rd degree, criminal possession of stolen property in the 5th degree and criminal tampering in the 3rd degree.
Valcik was arraigned in Saratoga Springs City Court and remanded to the Saratoga County Jail on bail set at $50,000 cash, $100,000 bond, or $500,000 partially secured bond.
He is scheduled to appear in City Court on Thursday, Nov. 13, at 9 a.m.
