Accused vehicle battery thief faces the courts

Stephen Flowers

Nineteen year old Stephen Flowers, a well known resident of Pinks Alley, avoided prison this evening by meeting bail for theft and damage to property.  Flowers, an employee of the Conscious Youth Development Program, is accused of breaking into two vehicles and stealing their batteries.  On Wednesday, he allegedly stole a pair of car batteries belonging to businessman Obaidol Islam and Atour Rahman.  During the burglaries Flowers apparently damaged the glass on the front driver’s side window, as well as the door handle of Islam’s grey Mazda.  Likewise, he also reportedly damaged Rahman’s driver’s side window.  In court this morning, Flowers, who appeared before Magistrate Aretha Ford, was read two counts of theft and two counts of damage to property.  Despite pleading not guilty to the charges, court prosecutor Hector Rodriguez objected to bail because of the prevalence of the offenses.  Flowers, who was found in possession of the stolen batteries, also has other matters before the court.  His attorney, Arthur Saldivar, submitted on his behalf that the prosecutor was mistaking Stephen for his deceased twin brother Stephan, who, presumably, had those matters pending.  Saldivar further submitted that the prosecutor failed to prove that Flowers posed a flight risk.  Following the submissions Magistrate Ford granted Flowers bail in the sum of four thousand dollars.  He is scheduled to return to court on November twenty-first.