Updated 4:06 p.m.
By Derrick Perkins
City authorities have charged two men in connection with the theft of a pair of police cruisers in late December, but a department-issued shotgun remains missing.
Daniel Michael Harris, 31, was arrested Sunday by Maryland authorities after traffic stop in Anne Arundel County. Charged with grand larceny auto and possession of stolen property, Harris remains in Maryland pending extradition.
City sheriff’s deputies arrested Corie Gezono Yates, 33, at the Alexandria Courthouse on Tuesday and charged him with grand larceny auto, conspiracy to commit grand larceny and possession of stolen property. He is being held without bond at the city jail. The deputies recognized Yates, who was there on an unrelated – and unknown – matter, from information previously provided by the police department.
The two men allegedly pulled off a first of its kind heist in Alexandria. The first cruiser went missing overnight December 13, complete with a laptop and Remington 870 shotgun. The second was reportedly taken the following Saturday.
An Alexandria Police Department vehicle had never been stolen before, said spokesman Jody Donaldson.
Police recovered the cruisers in short order, locating one in Washington and the other in Prince George’s County. Evidence found in the cruisers eventually led officers to Harries and Yates. Both had active warrants for their arrests when they were taken into custody.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the thefts – or the department’s remaining missing property – to contact the criminal investigations section at 703-746-6711.
“[The shotgun] is the big thing,” Donaldson said. “We want that back. We need to get our hands on that. We still believe there are people out there that know about this case and have information about where our property is and we’re asking them to come forward.”