Grand Larceny Rap For Convicted Robber
Days before being sentenced for his role in a knifepoint robbery on the Glendale/Forest Hills border last December, a Middle Village teenager was arrested by police last Friday, May 18, on grand larceny charges for allegedly withdrawing money at a local ATM with a stolen credit card, it was reported.
Law enforcement sources identified the suspect as 16-year-old Vincent Scafidi of 67th Road.
According to the criminal complaint provided by the Queens District Attorney’s office, Scafidi allegedly used a credit card reported stolen by a Glendale woman on Apr. 25 to make withdrawals from an ATM.
Reportedly, one of the withdrawals was caught on video tape.
The victim reported the theft to police after examining her credit card records which indicated that over $7,200 in illegal purchases and withdrawals had been made against her account, authorities noted.
During questioning, law enforcement sources said, Scafidi allegedly admitted to being provided with the stolen credit card by an associate. He was charged by members of the 104th Precinct Detective Squad last Friday with third-degree grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.
The suspect was arraigned in Queens Criminal Court last Saturday, May 19, before Judge Barry Kron, who ordered him held on $7,500 bail, as noted in court records. He is scheduled to return to court on June 15.
Scafidi had been out on $10,000 bail after pleading guilty earlier this year to second-degree robbery for his participation in the holdup of a woman at the corner of Woodhaven Boulevard and Metropolitan Avenue on the afternoon of Dec. 5, 2011. He was scheduled to be sentenced in the case yesterday, Wednesday, May 23.
According to information provided by the Queens District Attorney’s office, Scafidi approached the victim at around 3:17 p.m. that afternoon and asked her for the time before walking away.
Seconds later, it was reported, he returned along with two unapprehended suspects, a male and a female. Law enforcement sources said Scafidi and the unapprehended fe- male pushed the victim against a nearby wall and held her there.
The female suspect then reportedly pulled out a knife, held it against the victim’s neck and demanded her cell phone. After the woman screamed, police said, the unapprehended male suspect told the victim to be quiet and placed his hand over her mouth.
Law enforcement sources noted that Scafidi allegedly removed the iPhone from the victim’s hand; the suspects then fled from the scene.
Members of the 112th Precinct responded to the caper; the victim was not injured.
Following an investigation by the 112th Precinct Detective Squad, Scafidi was arrested on Dec. 6, 2011 and initially charged with first-degree robbery.
