Man Swiped Car Parts From Vehicles All Over Queens, Charges Say

QUEENS, NY -- A Queens man faces up to four years in prison for allegedly stealing catalytic converters out from under more than a dozen cars parked in neighborhoods throughout the borough.

Michael Cipriati, 33, of Whitestone, was charged with stealing the car parts and selling most of them to a recycling facility in the Bronx, each for hundreds of dollars in cash, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown announced on Monday.

In the converter-swiping spree from late October to early December, Cipriati is accused of stripping 15 catalytic converters from vehicles parked in Flushing, Astoria, Long Island City, College Point, Jackson Heights, Little Neck and Sunnyside Gardens, Brown said.

“With the price of scrap metal continuing to increase, mechanically inclined thieves are growing more brazen with their schemes," Brown said. "While stolen catalytic converters can reportedly fetch a thief a few hundred dollars, the cost to the car owners is much higher - in both replacing the expensive device as well as a possible jump in car insurance rates.”

In addition to allegedly having been seen swiping the car parts, Cipriati's cell phone records place him in the area where the catalytic converters were swiped at the time of the crimes, according to the charges. It is alleged he sold at least 11 of the vehicles' car parts the same day they were stolen to Alpha Recycling, located at 1641 E 233rd St.

Cipriati was arraigned Thursday on charges including criminal mischief, grand larceny, auto stripping and criminal possession of stolen property in connection with the crimes. He was also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle stemming from his arrest, where officers found Cipriati driving a Mercedez Benz on a suspended license with two Oxycodon pills in his possession, Brown said.

Cipriati's bail was set at $20,000 bond or $10,000 cash. If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison.

Lead photo via Shutterstock.