WEST SENECA, N.Y. (WIVB) — On Tuesday, a man left West Seneca Court after answering charges in a larceny case, but police say his alleged thievery was not done yet.
Lawrence Zielinski, 46, was stopped and accused of driving without headlights on while heading north on Union Rd. West Seneca police say that while questioning him, the Buffalo man gave them a false name and date of birth.
Along with that, the car happened to be stolen from a Rite Aid store about a mile away.
Before this occurred, Zielinski told police that he was walking from court to the Southgate Plaza to catch a bus, but he saw the vehicle running in the Rite Aid parking lot.
He told police that upon noticing this, he “was just trying to get home, so [he] took it.”
After Zielinski’s new arrest on charges of grand larceny, criminal possession of a stolen vehicle, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, false personation, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and several traffic infractions, the vehicle’s actual owner was able to retrieve it.
Following his arrest, Zielinski was released on an appearance ticket.