Albany man arrested after serial theft investigation

NORTH GREENBUSH, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Police arrested an Albany man on Tuesday after a theft investigation in North Greenbush. Kleotis King, 40, faces several charges.

Between June and October, North Greenbush Police (NGPD) investigated numerous retail thefts that were reported at businesses in Van Rensselaer Square. Nine of the cases, which totaled over $2500 in stolen items, reportedly involved a suspect with a similar description and burglary methods.

On November 4, NGPD and members of the Capital Region Crime Analysis Center identified King as a suspect and took him into custody. Detectives determined that King additionally had over 30 active warrants for his arrest across different Capital Region municipalities, a majority of which were for alleged larceny-related incidents.

"Our town has not been immune to the increase in commercial thefts being seen nationally
over the last few years," North Greenbush Police Chief David Keevern stated. "We are thankful for the efforts of the Capital Region Crime Analysis Center, which helped connect multiple agencies with outstanding cases and share information that ultimately led to this arrest."

King was charged with third-degree burglary, nine counts of petit larceny, and sixth-degree conspiracy. Police said additional charges are possible as the investigation remains underway.

"Persistent retail theft doesn't just affect large companies. It impacts prices, operations, and safety for everyone in our community," Keevern continued. "Our officers do an outstanding job each day, and we remain committed to protecting our local businesses and holding individuals accountable for repeated criminal behavior."

King was held at the Rensselaer County Jail without bail as a prior felony offender following his arraignment at North Greenbush Town Court. He's slated to return to court later this month.