CORONA — Employees at a fire restoration company drove around in their work van and posed as police officers to swipe cash and debit cards from victims on the street, according to the NYPD.
Wilfredo Rodriguez, 33, and Manauri Olivares, 30, allegedly had a fake NYPD badge and wore windbreakers similar to those worn by officers, according to police.
The pair, who both live in Queens, used the red minivan for their company, First Response Cleaning and Restoration, and approached people on the street to demand their identification.
When the people took out their wallets, they'd grab the cash or the wallets and flee, police said.
The first victim was in the passenger seat of his friend's car in front of 108-13 44th Ave. at around 2:50 a.m on Aug. 14 when the red minivan drove by, then stopped, according to the criminal complaint.
Rodriguez and Olivares got out of the car and flashed a light at the victim, demanding his identification.
They told the victim: "We are the police and we want to see your identification," according to the complaint.
When he pulled out his wallet, Rodriguez handed it to Olivares and they took $100 and two credit cards from inside, according to the complaint.
The suspects then threw the wallet back in the car and fled, police said.
Ten minutes later they approached another man on 104th Street and Alstyne Avenue in Corona as he walked toward the subway, according to the complaint.
Both suspects got out of the car and Rodriguez told the victim he was a police officer and needed to see his identification, the complaint states.
As the victim took out his wallet, Rodriguez grabbed it and handed it off to Olivares, and the two fled in the van, according to the complaint.
The suspects used one of the stolen credit cards to buy $14 worth of items from the Super Dairy Mill Convenience Store at 127-20 Cross Bay Blvd. in Ozone Park at 3:28 a.m., the complaint said.
They were arrested Aug. 18 after trying to rob another person, according to the NYPD. They were charged with grand larceny, criminal impersonation, identity theft and other charges, according to the Queens District Attorney's office.
The criminal complaint also states that the men's boss, Carl Walsh, confirmed the two are employees at his company, which restores businesses and homes after fires. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Lawyers for the suspects were not immediately available.
