CARTHAGE — Two 17-year-olds from Carthage and West Carthage are jailed following investigations in both villages into a small crime spree that began with an auto theft.

Manuel T. Robels Jr., 13 Franklin St., West Carthage, and Matthew A. Simmons, 707 Alexandria St., are charged by West Carthage police with fourth-degree grand larceny. They were sent Monday night to the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building, Watertown, with bail set for each at $2,000 by West Carthage Village Justice Delmar R. House.

Carthage police, who recovered the stolen car Saturday night before it was known to have been stolen, said they have another potential felony charge pending against the two. Chief Reginald Huber declined to comment about the pending charge until a warrant is issued. He did say, however, that the pending count stems from an apparent burglary.

Meanwhile, his department has cited the driver of the stolen car, Mr. Simmons, with failure to keep right and failure to signal a turn.

The car, a 2004 Hyundai owned by Margaret M. Ballou, 22639 County Route 42, town of Wilna, had been parked on High Street on Saturday night, with the key left in the vehicle, said West Carthage Police Chief David J. Pustizzi Jr. Carthage police halted the auto at 3:45 a.m. Sunday on Spring Street because of the two traffic infractions, Chief Huber said.

Carthage police impounded the car for continued investigation, and Ms. Ballou later reported the theft, Chief Pustizzi said.

Thousands of readers like you have made Northern New York Newspapers the number one ranked website* for local news and sports coverage in the north country.

You can continue on to this article in a few seconds, or you can visit one of our websites:

• Watertown Daily Times
• The Ogdensburg Journal
• Daily Courier-Observer