BETHLEHEM — On Tuesday, Bethlehem Police arrested two people whom, police say, made up a story that a car was stolen from Glenmont.

Jing Jing Li, 30, of Albany, was charged with making a false written statement and sixth-degree conspiracy, both misdemeanors. Christopher S. Phillips, 26, of Albany, who is on parole, was charged with third-degree falsely reporting an incident and with sixth-degree conspiracy.

Commander Adam Hornick, with the Bethlehem Police, said events unfolded this way: On Aug. 23, Jing Jing Li called the Bethlehem Police to say her car, a 2007 Prius, had been stolen.

“She signed a sworn statement,” said Hornick. “In the course of the investigation, Albany Police found it.” The Prius was discovered, crashed and unoccupied, in the city of Albany.

“We started investigating a crash where someone fled the scene,” said Hornick. “Through interviews, she admitted she lied,” he said of Li. “She had Phillips doing food deliveries.”

The story was made up to protect Phillips, who was on parole with the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, and was not supposed to be driving.  

Both Phillips and Li were arraigned in Bethlehem Town Court by Judge Ryan Donovan, and released on their own recognizance, to reappear in town court on Oct. 3 at 4 p.m.

“It’s good in one way to know someone in Glenmont isn’t randomly stealing cars,” said Hornick of the arrests.

But he also noted the downside: “It tied up law-enforcement resources from two departments,” he said, referencing Albany and Bethlehem police, who initially believed they were part of a felony investigation.

Hornick noted that things would have gone better for Phillips if he hadn’t fabricated the story with Li. “He would have gotten a traffic ticket and been done with it,” Hornick said. “Now, there will probably also be a problem with insurance. Before, with no-fault in New York, it would have been covered. Now, who knows if insurance will cover it.”