You are reading

Man who used crowbar to break into six stores pleads guilty, faces up to 10

March 28, 2017 By Hannah Wulkan

A man who stole thousands of dollars from Queens businesses last year pleaded guilty and could face up to 10 years in prison, announced District Attorney Richard Brown today.

Hector Rodriguez, 38, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary after breaking in to six stores throughout Queens between October 2015 and September 2016 and stealing $40,000 in cash, lottery tickets and cigarettes.

“The defendant has now admitted his guilt. He brazenly burglarized various businesses in Queens – literally breaking into the buildings by creating holes in rooftops and/or in walls to gain entry,” Brown said in a statement. “The commercial locations – grocery stores and bodegas in various neighborhoods throughout Queens County – had cash and merchandise taken by this defendant. He will be punished for his crimes with a lengthy term behind bars.”

According to the charges, Rodriguez broke in to six commercial locations by cutting holes in the rooftops or back walls to enter.

He burglarized businesses in Queens Village, Woodside, Jackson Heights, North Corona and Jamaica and took cash, lottery tickets and cartons of cigarettes from each location.

Brown said that he was observed on video surveillance breaking in to each location wearing a hoodie and sneakers and carrying a crowbar and flashlight.

Rodriguez will return to court on April 11 for sentencing, and will likely face 2.5 to 5 years for each charge to be served consecutively, or 5 to 10 years total.

email the author: news@queenspost.com

One Comment

Click for Comments 

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Homeless men charged in deadly 7 train subway brawl in Woodside: DA

Three homeless men were arraigned in Queens Criminal Court on Tuesday and variously charged with felony robbery, attempted gang assault, and assault for allegedly stealing the belongings of a 69-year-old homeless man who was asleep on a Manhattan-bound 7 train in Woodside early Sunday morning.

The victim woke up and tried to regain his property. During the ensuing brawl, the victim fatally stabbed a 37-year-old assailant and slashed a second man. The victim has not been charged in the fatal stabbing. The investigation by the NYPD’s Queens Homicide Squad and members of the 108th Precinct in Long Island City remains ongoing.