Two JFK contractors have been apprehended in an alleged plot involving the theft of copper wire from a warehouse at the airport, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz recently revealed the details of the case stating that the individuals, Anildat Arnold and Vejai Ramsarup, are facing charges of grand larceny, burglary, and criminal possession of stolen property; the duo is accused of pilfering over a thousand feet of copper cable wire with a value north of $70,000.
According to the Queens District Attorney's Office, the contractors were savvy with the JFK airport layout and exploited their access to perpetrate the theft ─ their routine involved using a ladder to gain entry into a restricted area and they managed to spirit away the cable on three distinct occasions throughout a three-week span, this all coming to a head last Saturday when the pair attempted to purloin an additional 150 feet of wire before being caught red-handed by Port Authority investigators.
Port Authority Inspector General John Gay emphasized the importance of safeguarding the airport's infrastructure, “We take our responsibility extremely seriously to protect the traveling public and the infrastructure that supports them. A core part of that mission is protecting the resources that keep our facilities up and running. Our team moved quickly to investigate the theft and apprehend the suspects, and we’re grateful for our strong partnership with the Queens District Attorney’s Office to bring those responsible to justice,” he said, as obtained by the Queens District Attorney's Office.
The accused, Arnold, 46, from South Ozone Park, and Ramsarup, 54, from Queens Village were arrested last Saturday after being surveilled by Port Authority personnel who, upon witnessing an attempt to take the wire live on camera, intervened immediately to prevent the theft with the subsequent arraignments following: Judge Maria Gonzalez has scheduled Arnold to appear in court on April 23 whereas Judge Glenda M. Hernandez has Ramsarup slated to return on May 1, and with each facing a potential sentence that ranges from five to 15 years if convicted, the stakes for the two accused are indeed quite high.
The investigation, overseen by the Port Authority Office of the Inspector General, included diligent efforts by officers George Ma, Edward Vallejo, and Louis Constantino, as well as Port Authority Police Department Detectives Luis Sanibanez and Nicholas Ciancarelli, all under the guidance of Investigative Manager Mia Chang, and Inspector General John Gay along with Deputy inspector General Whitney Ferguson, meanwhile, Assistant District Attorney Catherine Kane stands as the prosecuting officer in a case that pits two former contractors against a litany of charges that might imprint upon them the indelible mark of a felonious past.
