In Brazen Crime Spree, Hempstead Man Arrested After Snatching Necklace, Crashing Stolen Car, and Injuring Officer

A Hempstead man has been arrested following a wild series of crimes, including a necklace snatching, a multi-vehicle crash, and an altercation with police that left an officer injured.

On Friday, May 31, 2024, at 1:43 p.m., Freeport Police responded to a robbery in the vicinity of Broadway and N. Columbus Avenue in Freeport. A 27-year-old woman reported that an unknown man had ripped a necklace from her neck before fleeing in a white sedan. No injuries were reported in the incident.

Shortly after the robbery, the suspect was involved in a car accident at the intersection of Nassau Road and Woods Avenue in Roosevelt, where he struck multiple vehicles. The crash resulted in injuries to the drivers of a 2008 gray Nissan Rogue and a 2015 gray Honda Accord, both of whom were taken to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment. The suspect fled the scene on foot.

Detectives later identified the suspect as Jarred Sowers, 30, of Hempstead, and located him on West Columbia Street in Hempstead with assistance from the Hempstead Police Department. During his arrest, Sowers resisted and refused to comply with verbal commands. During the arrest, an officer to sustain an injury that required hospital treatment.

Investigations revealed that the white 2018 Mercedes Benz driven by Sowers during the accident had been stolen from a Uniondale residence on May 24, 2024. Further investigations uncovered that Sowers had also stolen two bicycles from separate residences in Roosevelt, one of which was taken from a gated yard.

Jarred Sowers faces multiple charges, including Robbery , Assault, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle, two counts of Leaving the Scene of an Incident, two counts of Petit Larceny, Criminal Trespass, and Resisting Arrest. He was arraigned on Saturday, June 1, 2024, at First District Court in Hempstead.

As a reminder, a criminal charge is an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.