Say Crooks Broke Into Lockers, Stole Valuables
Police believe they caught a break in a recent rash of locker room thefts at a Ridgewood gym, the 104th Precinct’s commander announced during a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 14.
Speaking at the Ridgewood stationhouse, Capt. Christopher Manson stated officers picked up earlier that morning two Glendale men allegedly observed peeking into parked cars in the vicinity of Myrtle Avenue and 61st Street.
They were identified as 19- year-old Brandon Rios and 17-year-old Kenneth Cabrera.
According to Manson, the officers stopped Rios and Cabrera and, during questioning and a search, recovered quantities of marijuana in their possession.
Rios reportedly also had a gravity knife, while Cabrera also allegedly possessed a bolt cutter and the driver’s license and credit card of a victim who recently reported their wallet stolen from the Planet Fitness gym located at 329 Wyckoff Ave.
In recent weeks, Manson stated, a slew of individuals reportedly had personal items removed from lockers at the location. Police said the locks on the lockers were breached with a tool such as a bolt cutter.
Detectives are continuing to investigate the alleged link between Cabrera and the recent thefts. Further charges are pending the results of that inquiry, the commander noted.
Meanwhile, Manson noted, Planet Fitness allegedly rebuffed police recommendations that they increase security in the locker room area, namely by hiring an attendant to patrol the location. Police suggest gym users leave their valuables at home or use the lockers near the gym’s front desk.
The commander also highlighted a number of “good arrests” that 104th Precinct officers made in the past few weeks:
– Vejall Guevarra, 34, of Woodside was arrested on Monday afternoon, Oct. 13, after getting into a dispute with a cab driver over fare payment at the corner of Eliot Avenue and 71st Street on the Maspeth/Middle Village border.
Members of the 104th Precinct responded to the scene as the argument transpired. In questioning Guevarra, Manson stated, the officers found in his possession multiple credit cards and driver’s licenses from different people.
Reportedly, the items were stolen from eight different individuals residing in the confines of both the 104th and 110th precincts. According to Manson, detectives believe Guevarra stole the items directly from the victims’ mailboxes or by going through their trash.
Guevarra was subsequently booked on eight counts each of petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property; additional charges are pending the results of an investigation by the NYPD Grand Larceny Division.
– Roy Samuels, who is homeless, was picked up on Oct. 2 for allegedly breaking into the Alba Auto Wrecking facility located at 151 Woodward Ave. in Ridgewood. Reportedly, 104th Precinct officers observed Samuels climbing the fence into the establishment.
Upon further investigation, Manson said, Samuels-who has a “significant history of arrests”-was linked to four other burglaries in the last month.
– Four individuals-Henri Star, 19, of Fresh Pond Road in Ridgewood; Daniel Atkinson, 21, of Mastic Beach, L.I.; Isuf Alla, 20, of Bordentown, N.J.; and Francesko Arapi, 19, of Fresh Pond Road in Ridgewood-were allegedly collared early last Saturday morning, Oct. 11, for allegedly attempting to break into a Glendale apartment.
According to Manson, a resident on 67th Place near Central Avenue called 911 after observing two individuals allegedly climbing through a front window.
Officers responded to the scene and, during a search, picked up the four suspects in the vicinity of Myrtle Avenue and 70th Street.
