JFK Cargo Heists Haul In $6M Worth Of Gucci, Prada, Chanel Gear
NEW YORK CITY — Tractor trailers loaded with $6 million Chanel, Gucci and Prada gear left JFK Airport in cargo heists fueled by “insider information,” authorities said.
No, it’s not the infamous “Lufthansa Heist” chronicled in the 1990 film “Goodfellas” — this new caper unfolded in January and May as the coronavirus bore down on the city, according to Queens District Attorney’s Office.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Thursday that a multi-agency investigation identified six people, including two truck drivers, who carried out the heists. They have been charged in a 22-count indictment, authorities said.
“The safety and security of this county’s airports are a top priority,” Katz said in a statement. “Teaming up with our law enforcement partners, we relentlessly pursued the suspects, who allegedly used forged documents and their insider knowledge as former airport workers to steal air cargo.”
Two truckers who formerly worked at JFK — David Lacarriere, 33, and Gary McArthur, 43 — are identified as the main suspects, authorities said.
Lacarriere used his knowledge of airport operations on Jan. 31 to walk into a receiving office for an air cargo importer, authorities said.
“He allegedly showed a forged document listing the correct airway bill and flight details for a shipment of Prada products,” a release states. “He and McArthur, who enlisted the assistance of two others, allegedly used a tractor trailer to load four pallets of Prada merchandise into the truck and drove away.”
The haul was valued at $804,000, according to authorities.
The pair performed a similar heist on May 17 along with Davon Davis, 32, authorities said. This time, they carted off five air freight pallets contains thousands of pieces of Chanel and Gucci merchandise, according to a release.
In total, the May heist hauled in $4.4 million, prosecutors said.
Authorities said the men stored their stolen wares in Candi World Beauty Bar at Guy R. Brewer Boulevard and 147th Avenue in Jamaica. It’s there where authorities said Alan Vu, 51, was spotted loading up $300,000 worth of merchandise — mostly Chanel handbags — into the back of his white Mercedes SUV.
Law enforcement officers eventually served a search warrant at the beauty shop and discovered “mountains of boxes stuffed with stolen merchandise still in the manufacturers’ packaging,” a release states. “In all police recovered more than 3,000 Gucci items – clothes and bags and other accoutrements. Just over 1,000 Chanel products – purses, jewelry, sunglasses and other accessories. The estimated value of the recovered merchandise totals more than $2.5 million.”
Two suspects remain on the loose, authorities said.
This article originally appeared on the New York City Patch
