Trio from NYC accused of stealing catalytic converters from cars on Long Island

Three men from New York City were arrested and charged with allegedly swiping catalytic converters off 13 cars in various Suffolk County neighborhoods.

Jose Deleon, 37, of Brooklyn, Oliver Morocho, 21, of Queens, and Albert Espinal, 23, of Queens, were arraigned Thursday on multiple charges related to stealing catalytic converters from personal cars parked in front of their owner’s homes, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney announced.

Authorities alleged the trio drove from Brooklyn to Suffolk County during the early morning hours of Sept. 3, Sept. 25 and Oct. 2 to commit the thefts in Centereach, Wyandanch, Central Islip, Brentwood, Bay Shore and West Babylon

During each incident, Morocho allegedly remained in the driver’s seat of "the getaway vehicle," Espinal jacked up the victims’ cars and Deleon crawled beneath them, cutting the catalytic converters from the undercarriages with a portable reciprocating saw, according to the district attorney’s office.

The trio was "successfully removing the car parts in less than two minutes per vehicle," Suffolk police said after their arrests.

Catalytic converters are a part of a vehicle’s exhaust device and contain precious metals, including palladium, platinum and rhodium, which "can be more valuable than gold," to reduce pollutants from a vehicle’s engine, according to the district attorney’s office.

"Catalytic converter thefts continue to be a nationwide issue," Tierney said in a statement.

Deleon, Morocho and Espinal’s alleged actions were captured on some homeowners’ surveillance cameras, the district attorney said.

"We have to see all that, we have to see how they’re really going to tie my client to all those allegations," said Central Islip-based defense attorney Chase Brown, representing Deleon. "We look forward to fighting in court."

Sayville-based attorney Eric Besso, representing Espinal, declined to comment Friday evening. Joseph Hanshe, the Sayville-based attorney representing Morocho, could not be reached for comment.

Suffolk authorities partnered with Nassau County police and NYPD officials, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service in an investigation that culminated in the execution of search warrants at the homes of Deleon in Brooklyn and Morocho in Elmhurst on Wednesday morning. Authorities said law enforcement officers seized catalytic converters, auto stripping tools and equipment, money and cellphones during the searches.

Deleon pleaded not guilty to two counts of second-degree criminal mischief, three counts of third-degree criminal mischief, three counts of fourth-degree grand larceny and three counts of third-degree auto stripping, according to court documents.

On the same day, Morocho pleaded not guilty on two counts of second-degree criminal mischief, 11 counts of third-degree criminal mischief, six counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, 12 counts of third-degree auto stripping and one count of petit larceny, according to court documents. 

District Judge Evan Zuckerman ordered Deleon and Morocho held on $250,000 cash, $500,000 bond or $2,500,000 partially secured bond. They are both due back in court on Monday.

Espinal pleaded not guilty to one count of second-degree criminal mischief, 11 counts of third-degree criminal mischief, five counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, 12 counts of third-degree auto stripping and one count of petit larceny. Zuckerman ordered Espinal be placed on supervised release with a GPS monitor. He too is due back in court on Monday.