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The Albany County incident happened at around 11:30 p.m. Dec. 27, 2023, in Bethlehem, in the hamlet of Slingerlands.
Bethlehem Police said a woman called 911 reporting an armed robbery in progress in the parking lot of the Plug Power facility, located on Vista Boulevard.
The male victim told investigators that he had arranged to meet a stranger there after posting jewelry for sale on Facebook Marketplace.
When he arrived, he was attacked by two men, one dressed in a skeleton hoodie and mask, and armed with a handgun.
They stole his jewelry and car keys before fleeing in a dark colored Toyota Sienna minivan.
On Tuesday, Jan. 30, Bethlehem Police and the US Marshals Task Force arrested Ronaldo Alcazar, of Queens, in connection with the robbery.
Alcazar was taken into custody in New York City and was returned to Albany, where he faces the following charges:
- Two counts of robbery (felony)
- Criminal use of a firearm (felony)
- Criminal possession of a weapon (felony)
- Grand larceny (felony)
- Unlawful imprisonment (felony)
- Conspiracy (felony)
- Menacing (misdemeanor)
Following his arraignment in Town of Bethlehem Court, he was taken to the Albany County jail on $60,000 bond.
Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact Bethlehem Police at 518-439-9973.
The department encouraged those selling or buying items on platforms like Facebook to meet at its “safe exchange” on the east side of the Bethlehem Town Hall, located at 447 Delaware Avenue in Delmar. The area is monitored by surveillance cameras and police personnel.
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