MANHATTAN SUPREME COURT — A serial burglar who targeted small businesses on the East Side and was caught after trying to rob the same shop twice in one day pleaded guilty and was been sentenced to 12 years in prison on Tuesday.
Gus Bougas, 41, admitted to hitting up several local businesses including Pastafina Pizzeria at East 45th Street and Third Avenue, Beijing Wok at Second Avenue near 70th Street and Di Di Dumplings at Lexington Avenue and 24th Street.
In his criminal career, Bougas has 22 felony convictions for burglary and spent several stints in prison. He pleaded guilty Tuesday to several counts of burglary and possession of a burglar's tools in exchange for the sentence.
He was caught on May 10 with a backpack full of $11,000 in cash, stolen cigarettes, and stolen MetroCards while trying to flee Sutton Place Cards and Gifts at First Avenue and East 58th Street, where he had made two trips in the same day.
"You only got me because I came back," he allegedly told police at the time. "I hit the store earlier, but I left something at the store, so I had to come back."
"The defendant preyed upon local small businesses," said Assistant District Attorney Jordan Arnold said before Bougas' sentencing on Tuesday. He struck the restaurants during the night, but hit the card store during the day.
"His crimes make it that much harder for them to survive and grow their business," the ADA added.
It is unclear how much Bougas took from the the restaurants and shops in total. He was matched by description to five unsolved burglaries between March and April after his apprehension on the Sutton Place incident.
Bougas' attorney, Stephen Pokart, said his client faced 25 years to life in prison because of his extensive criminal history and the fact hat he's been in prison multiple times.
Bougas, who may also face additional time in prison for parole violations, declined to speak in court.
