Motorcycle-Theft Ring Busted In Queens

JAMAICA, QUEENS -- Seven people now face jail time for their alleged roles in a theft ring that stole high-end motorcycles from streets and garages in New York City and Nassau County and re-sold them on the black market.

The seven accused conspirators, who allegedly stole the expensive motorcycles by hot wiring them or lifting them into a van, were indicted following a year-long NYPD investigation into the theft-ring, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said on Tuesday.

They allegedly stole motorcycles worth a combined $75,000 between March 2016 and February 2017, he said.

"The defendants charged in this case are alleged to have worked together - and sometimes separately - stealing and then selling the snatched motorcycles on the black market," Brown said.

Five of the alleged thieves were arraigned in Queens Supreme Court late Tuesday afternoon on charges including grand larceny and conspiracy. They pleaded not guilty.

A sixth suspect is in custody in Pennsylvania awaiting extradition to New York and the last suspect hasn't yet been caught, Brown said.

According to court records, various members of the ring allegedly stole Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki motorcycles right off the streets - and sometimes from garages of homes and apartment buildings - in Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Long Island.

Craig Williams was allegedly the ring's location scout and getaway driver. The 39-year-old Brooklyn man is accused of scouting neighborhoods for motorcycles while scoping out their police presence, according to the indictments. The crew would, at times, purposely commit driving infractions to distract local police.

Williams was charged with third-degree grand larceny, third-degree criminal possession of stolen property and fifth-degree conspiracy.

The other five men arrested for their alleged roles in the ring include:

• Jose Rosa, 25, of Queens
• Hector Zamot, 31, of Queens
• Ivan Santiago, 33, of Brooklyn
• Jonathan Santiago, 31, of Brooklyn
• Hector Gonzalez, 32, of Hazelton, Pennsylvania

Each of the six men face up to seven years in prison if convicted. Bail was set at $30,000 for Williams, $25,000 for Rosa, $10,000 for Zamot, $15,000 for Ivan Santiago and $5,000 for Jonathan Santiago.

Brown used the bust to point out his office's crackdown on auto thefts, which he said have dropped by more than 96 percent in Queens since he took over as district attorney 26 years ago.

“Those who make the mistake of setting up shop here will face serious felony charges and prison sentences,” Brown said.

Lead image vis Shutterstock.