Times Union contributor accused of theft

PHOTOGRAPHER: Steven Cook

A contributor to the Albany Times Union, who wrote an article earlier this year on working out at a gym that included the suggestion to bring a combination lock, has been arrested, accused of stealing from a gym, according to police and the newspaper.

Sonia Chopra, 44, of Connor Court, Niskayuna, was arrested April 29 at Gold’s Gym and charged with petty larceny, a misdemeanor.

She is accused of taking a set of keys with a car key to a 2001 Volvo and a Gold’s Gym ID tag from the gym just after 9:30 a.m. April 29 at the gym on Balltown Road.

Police spokesman Detective Sgt. Daniel McManus said as many as four witnesses gave supporting depositions in the case.

Through the police investigation, McManus said, police determined a crime had been committed, not a mixup.

Chopra was on-scene when police arrived, McManus said.

McManus declined to offer further details about the alleged theft.

Chopra has written a number of articles for The Times Union, the paper reported on its website Monday evening. She has written four in 2011, her most recent appearing April 23.

A representative of The Times Union did not return a call for comment Monday. Chopra was being represented by attorney Mark Sacco. He also did not return calls for comment.

Among the articles Chopra wrote for the Times Union this year, was one from Feb. 5 headlined “Ready to start exercising? Here’s help to get started.”

“Grab your gym bag — or get it back out after your already waning New Year’s enthusiasm — and we’ll help you through the basics of signing up for an exercise program and sticking with it,” the story reads.

Also included in the article is a “Checklist for gym bag” No. 2 on the list, after the gym bag itself and before flip flops reads, “1 combination lock (Most gyms are set up with the lockers that can be locked, but they don’t give out locks.)”