In an audacious string of heists, a Queens man has been charged with the theft of over $500,000 in merchandise and cash, including a staggering $250,000 in quarters that he transported via U-Haul. John Cipolla, 50, faces a litany of charges after prosecutors say they executed two elaborate burglaries in Plainview, New York, targeting a business and a Brinks location, where he made off with the astounding sum in coins.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced the indictment on charges including second-degree grand larceny and multiple counts of burglary and criminal possession of stolen property. Cipolla, who pleaded not guilty at his arraignment, is accused of disabling security systems and using stolen vehicles to transport the goods to storage facilities in Queens.
The first incident occurred on July 31, 2022, when Cipolla and accomplices allegedly burglarized ADI Global Distribution and nabbed $285,000 worth of electronics. The second conspiracy involved the theft of police equipment and culminated in the quarter heist at a Brinks site on October 22, 2022. Cipolla, alongside Jose De La Cruz of Ozone Park and others, is said to have orchestrated the thefts with military precision, communicating discreetly in a Home Depot parking lot before committing the crimes.
After swiping two U-Haul trucks, Cipolla and De La Cruz allegedly descended on the Brinks facility and made away with the quarters, which they transported to Queens. This hefty haul of change has made the case particularly notable, underscoring the unusual nature of the loot.
With bail set at $1 million and a potential life sentence looming due to his status as a persistent felony offender, Cipolla’s case has garnered significant attention. His next court appearance is scheduled for December 1, as the legal process unfolds in this remarkable tale of grand-scale larceny.
Let’s hope he doesn’t post bail in quarters.
