Georgia fugitive nabbed in Cranston pond

Rhode Island State Police used a drone to find a fugitive from Georgia in a Cranston Pond.

At 11:55 p.m. Tuesday, state troopers, with the assistance of the Cranston Police Department, arrested Michael Odom, 36, of 741 Morosgo Drive, Apt. 144, Atlanta, Georgia.

Odom was charged with Obstruction, Simple Assault, Resisting Arrest, Failure to Register as a Sex Offender and Fugitive from Justice (on a Full Extradition Warrant out of the South Fulton County Police Department for Probation Violation on the original offense of Aggravated Assault on a Family Member), Giving False Name to a Law Enforcement Officer and gun charges.

“The arrest was the result of a motor vehicle stop on Reservoir Avenue in Cranston and a subsequent foot pursuit,” according to a RISP press release. “Odom fled from the motor vehicle and was tracked by K-9 Troopers to the area behind 301 Reservoir Ave.”

State police used a drone with an infrared camera to locate Odom hiding in the water of Mashapaug Pond.

“Troopers and members of the Cranston Police Department were directed toward Odom along the shoreline by the UAV operator,” according to state police. “Troopers located Odom and he exited the pond on his own and was taken into custody without further incident.”

Odom was held overnight at State Police Headquarters and later transported to Sixth District Court for arraignment.

SHOPLIFTING

Aug. 1 was a busy day for shoplifters at Warwick’s Kohl’s department store.

Around 11:55 a.m., Aug. 1, Warwick Police responded to Kohl’s, 650 Bald Hill Road, following the report of a shoplifting incident. Loss prevention employees told police that two women were concealing items in bags they had brought into the store with them.

The suspects had taken items from the Sephora section of the store, passed all points of purchase and were attempting to leave when police arrived on the scene.

Warwick Police Officer Nathaniel Gray spotted the women, later identified as Jamiel Watson, 33, of 211 Pavilion Ave., Apt. 2, Providence, and Evelyn D. Almodovar, 34, of 10 Wanskuck Ave., Providence.

Kohl’s management advised that the store wanted to press charges and have both women issued a No Trespass Order from the store.

“Watson took items representing a total value of $29.40,” Gray wrote in the arrest report. “Almodovar took items representing a total value of $82 … It should be noted that they both had a large quantity of merchandise from Dick’s Sporting Goods but did not have any receipts for the items.”

Watson and Almodovar were each charged with one count of Shoplifting (a misdemeanor).

Later that same, around 6:47 p.m., Warwick Police responded back to the store for another reported shoplifting.

The suspect, a man wearing a grey T-shirt, shorts and black Adidas sneakers he allegedly stole from the store, was last seen walking toward Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Police found the suspect at the nearby Wendy’s. Warwick Police Sgt. Timothy J. Tavares followed him into the restaurant and the suspect attempted to walk out the north entrance. Tavares asked him to stop, and he complied.

The suspect, identified as John F. Ryder, 35, of 364 Main St., Woonsocket, was positively identified as the suspect. He allegedly told police “yeah I’ll pay for them” when he was taken into custody. Store management advised police that they wanted to press charges and have Ryder issued a No Trespass Order from the store.

Ryder was charged with Shoplifting (a misdemeanor).

Warwick Police made a third trip to the store around 8:20 p.m. when they were called about another shoplifting incident.

This time, a man wearing green shorts and a black hat had exited the store with two bags and was suspected of shoplifting. He was spotted sitting at the bus stop between Wendy’s and At Home.

Warwick Police Officer Ryan E. Costa made contact with the suspect and later identified him as Byron Robinson, 54, of 27 Lisbon St., Second Floor, Providence.

“I asked Robinson where he was coming from and going to, to which he stated that he was going to meet with a friend,” Costa wrote in the arrest report. “I asked him if he had gone to Kohl’s, to which he stated that he had. Robinson later admitted to exiting the store without paying for merchandise.”

According to the store’s loss prevention department, the stolen merchandise was valued at $440.73, and they wanted to press charges.

Robinson was charged with one count of Shoplifting.