$250K Suffolk Tire and Rim Theft Ring Busted

A ring of thieves who specialized in stealing automobile wheel-rims and tires from cars parked in dealer lots and residential driveways across Suffolk County are under indictment following a seven-month investigation,  Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota announced today.

 Huntingon township homes were among those targeted by the thieves, often heisting tires and rims right in the victim's driveway or stealing mini-vans or U-Hauls to carry what they stole on any given night. D.A. Spota noted, in one photo, how close the front door of the home was to one car, sans wheels and jacked up on a cinderblock. The D.A.'s office would not give details on the specific Huntington victims.

"When you leave to go to work and there are no wheels on your car, you know it's going to be a bad day," said Suffolk County Police Department Commissioner Richard Dormer.

"Crewmembers would first steal a van, often a Plymouth Voyager or a Dodge Caravan, and strip the vehicle of its seats to make room for the dozens of rims they had targeted for that night's crime spree,"  Spota said.

"During the course of this investigation a relative of one of the defendants referred to this group as "The Rim Reapers," noted District Attorney Spota.  "Scales and this crew are responsible for nearly 300 tire and rim thefts from cars in residential neighborhoods and automobile dealerships. They targeted specific luxury rims and tires on Cadillac Escalades, Acuras', and Nissan Maximas' and they would steal rims for other models to fill special orders received from potential customers."

District Attorney Spota said the approximate cost of the thefts and damage to businesses and vehicles is in excess of $250,000.  The indictment covers 202 rims and tires stolen from six dealerships and forty rims and tires stolen from private citizens.

Crewmembers divided the stolen goods among themselves for resale on Craigslist.org and eBay.com.  "A set of high-end rims and tires, sold at retail for up to $4,000 for a set of four, would be resold by members of this crew on the street for anywhere from $500 to $1,000," DA Spota said.  

Evidence gathered during the investigation found that Darren Scales, 24,  funneled his stolen rims and tires to codefendant Stephen Clarke, 25, of Holbrook, who often resold the stolen merchandise on Craigslist and E Bay.

Darren Scales pleaded not guilty at his arraignment today in Suffolk County court in Riverhead to four counts of second degree grand larceny, six counts of third degree grand larceny, four counts of fourth degree grand larceny, ten counts of criminal mischief, one count of possession of burglars tools, one charge of third degree insurance fraud, one count of conspiracy in the fourth degree and one charge of second degree assault. 

Both Clarke and Lasheem Stewart, 19, of Selden, stashed stolen property in rented storage sheds. 

The dealerships victimized by the crew are Babylon Honda (four damaged vehicles and 20 tires and rims stolen), Atlantic Auto Mall in Bayshore (16 damaged vehicles, 48 Maxima tires and rims stolen, one new Tacoma pickup driven through a gate, a Nissan Murano driven into adjacent wetlands and two stolen Siena Minivans used to transport the stolen merchandise), Competition Toyota in Middle Island (six damaged vehicles and 20 tires and rims stolen), King O'Rourke GMC Cadillac (52 tires and rims stolen, damage to four vehicles) Riverhead Auto Mall (48 tires and rims stolen) and Smithtown Acura ( 14 tires and rims stolen and damage to 15 vehicles).

The district attorney thanked the Suffolk County Police Vehicle Theft Section, the New York State Insurance Department Frauds Bureau, and the National Insurance Crimes Bureau (NICB) for their assistance in the investigation.

The Rim Reapers
DEFENDANT PEDIGREE AND CHARGES

DARREN SCALES                           dob – 8-25-1985

63 Stuyvesant Street

Mastic, New York 11950

          4 counts Grand Larceny second degree

          6 counts Grand Larceny third degree

          4 counts Grand Larceny fourth degree

          8 counts Grand Larceny fourth degree

          2 counts Attempted Grand Larceny third degree

          8 counts Criminal Mischief second degree

          2 counts Criminal Mischief third degree

          2 count Possession of Burglars Tools

          1 count Insurance Fraud third degree

          1 count Conspiracy fourth degree

          1 count Assault second degree

Pled not guilty at arraignment 2/18/2010.  Bail $200,000, Bond $500,000.

STEVEN A. CLARKE                       dob – 6-9-1984

28 Avenue A

Holbrook, New York 11741

          4 counts Grand Larceny second degree

          3 counts Grand Larceny third degree

          6 counts Grand Larceny fourth degree

          1 count Attempted Grand Larceny third degree

          2 counts Criminal Possession of Stolen Property third degree

          6 counts Criminal Mischief second degree

          1 count Conspiracy fourth degree

Pled not guilty at arraignment 2/18/2010.  ROR'd.

HASHEEM McLAURIN                    dob – 4-12-1981

26 N. Somerset Road

Amityville, New York 11701

          2 counts Grand Larceny second degree

4 counts Grand Larceny third degree

          2 counts Grand Larceny fourth degree

          4 counts Grand Larceny fourth degree

          4 counts Criminal Mischief second degree

          2 counts Criminal Mischief third degree

          1 count Conspiracy fourth degree

Pled not guilty at arraignment 2/18/2010.  Bail $20,000, Bond $50,000.

LAHSHEEM STEWART                   dob – 7-30-1990

38 Peconic Street

Selden, New York 11784

          2 counts of Grand Larceny second degree

          7 counts Grand Larceny third degree

          4 counts Grand Larceny fourth degree

          5 counts Grand Larceny fourth degree

          1 count Attempted Grand Larceny third degree

          7 counts Criminal Mischief second degree

          4 counts Criminal Mischief third degree

          1 count Possession of Burglar's Tools

          1 count Conspiracy fourth degree

Pled not guilty at arraignment 2/18/2010.  Bail $50,000, Bond $100,000.

KELVIN M. MITCHELL                             dob – 6-18-1985

51 Emily Road

Centereach, New York 11720

          2 counts Grand Larceny second degree

          3 counts Grand Larceny third degree

          4 counts Grand Larceny fourth degree

          3 counts Criminal Mischief second degree

          1 count Criminal Mischief third degree

          1 count Conspiracy fourth degree

Pled not guilty at arraignment 2/18/2010.  Bail $150,000, No bond.