The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday that Rudi Lacatusu, 28, and Mirabela Lacatusu, 26, are in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody following their arrests in Nassau County, New York. DHS alleges the Romanian nationals were involved in at least 14 jewelry thefts in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maryland. The department cited local reporting for the multistate figure.
Nassau County police said the couple is accused of stealing a necklace from a 73-year-old woman outside her Valley Stream home on Oct. 5. According to police, a woman in a car asked the victim for directions, then requested a hug and placed two gold-colored necklaces around her neck. The victim later noticed that her own necklace, valued at about $2,000, was missing.
Police said investigators connected the suspects to similar incidents in Franklin Square and East Meadow. Each suspect faces three counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, police said. The source report said authorities initially issued appearance tickets directing them to court in Hempstead on Oct. 20; DHS did not say when ICE took custody of the pair.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said the suspects would be removed from the country. The department also used the case to criticize New York’s sanctuary policies. Those statements are the administration’s position; the source material does not establish a connection between the state’s policies and the alleged thefts.
Nassau County police warned residents about distraction thefts in which suspects may use offers of jewelry, requests for help or other interactions to divert a victim’s attention. The allegations against the two defendants have not been adjudicated.
