The city’s fight for fuel and pursuit of resources has led to the arrest of one St. Albans man, who allegedly whipped out a gun to cut a long gas line, and the collaring of several looters in the Rockaways, authorities said.
Sean Bailey, 35, was cuffed shortly after he pointed a pistol at a driver who complained when he zipped ahead in his white 2010 BMW to the front of a lengthy line for gas at a station located at the intersection of Astoria Boulevard and 43rd Street on Thursday, November 1, said the district attorney.
“If you don’t pull back, you’re not getting gas tonight,” Bailey allegedly said to a 29-year-old motorist during the early morning dispute, according to a criminal complaint.
Cops later found a loaded .25 caliber Phoenix Raven pistol in Bailey’s left boot at the ankle after his arrest at around 3 a.m., officials said.
He is charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree menacing and faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted, the district attorney said.
Fifteen individuals have also been charged with burglarizing and looting various Far Rockaway businesses — including liquor, clothing stores and a Radio Shack — post superstorm Sandy, said the district attorney. They all face felony charges of third-degree burglary, which is punishable by up to seven years in prison, authorities said.
“As the city and many of its residents continue to recover from Hurricane Sandy, there were others who allegedly used the storm and the chaos that followed as cover to commit crimes,” said District Attorney Richard A. Brown. “What they have learned is that my office and other public and law enforcement officials have a zero tolerance policy for those who would exploit a natural disaster for their own gain.”
Twin brothers from Jamaica have also been apprehended after they allegedly stole a U-Haul truck and smashed it through the gate of a Queens Village motorcycle shop located on Jamaica Avenue, said authorities.
Anthony and Sean Martin, both 24, — and an identified number of unapprehended males — allegedly waited outside the U-Haul building, located at 185-11 Merrick Boulevard, on October 30 until the facility closed down at around 7 p.m. before they went into the office and took the keys to a truck, according to a criminal complaint.
Video surveillance allegedly shows the perps later approaching New York Motorcycle, at 222-02 Jamaica Avenue, at around 12:30 a.m. and repeatedly using the truck to back up and smash into the gate until the vehicle lodged itself inside the building, the complaint said. The males then entered the shop before fleeing the scene empty-handed, the district attorney said.
The brothers were arrested approximately one hour later when driver Anthony Martin was stopped at an intersection for failing to signal a turn, said authorities. They both face charges of third-degree burglary, second-degree criminal mischief, third and fourth-degree grand larceny, possession of burglar’s tools and a seven-year prison sentence.
“As I have stated before,” said Brown, “such lawlessness will be vigorously prosecuted by my office and we will seek the appropriate punishment befitting the crime.”
