UPPER WEST SIDE — A man who police said landed a job as a custodian two days after getting out of prison celebrated by going on a package-stealing spree — swiping thousands of dollars in property from residents and then selling the goods, authorities said.
Joseph Michel, 37, stole five packages from buildings in the West 90s and West 100s where police said he was employed as a custodian over the course of two weeks — including on Christmas Day.
Michel was released from prison Dec. 3 after having served 2 and a half years for selling crack cocaine at the corner of West 103rd Street and Amsterdam Avenue in late 2010, according to the state Department of Corrections and Manhattan District Attorney's office.
Michel admitted he sold the contents of the packages and identified himself in three surveillance videos that captured the thefts, the NYPD said. Police believe he was selling the items to buy drugs.
In the first incident, on Dec. 5, 2015, Michel stole a shipment of T-shirts and sweatshirts worth approximately $2,000 from the lobby of 243 W. 98th St., near Broadway, where he worked at a custodian, police said. A resident of the building, who said the clothes were for his company, reported the package missing to his super that day, police said.
Surveillance video showed Michel entering a set of the building's locked doors at 12:57 p.m. and taking a large package, police said. It was not clear in this case or the two subsequent burglaries whether he used keys to enter the locked lobbies.
Then, on Dec. 14, Michel hit 884 West End Ave., near West 103rd Street, entering through the building's locked lobby doors around 3:20 p.m. and placing two packages in a large bag that he took with him, police said. He was also working as a custodian at this building, police said.
In his final burglary, Michel struck 448 Central Park West near West 105th Street on Christmas Day at around 1:25 p.m., police said. He again entered the locked lobby of the building, where he also worked as a custodian, and took a package from the building, police said.
The Christmas Day burglary was one of six that police recorded that week in the 24th Precinct, which runs from Central Park West to Riverside Drive between West 86th and 110th streets.
Michel was arrested on Jan. 7 and is charged with burglary, grand larceny and petit larceny, according to his criminal complaint. His is being held without bail at the Manhattan Detention Complex.
Harriet Kyrous, the managing agent for 243 West 98th St., said she didn't know how Michel gained access to the building but that there's no custodian working there, only a live-in super, who is in charge of maintenance.
The building does not have a doorman and residents sometimes hold doors open for strangers or mistakenly buzz them in, she said.
"We send letters all the time about [not doing] that," she said of communication with the residents.
As a precaution, the building has now moved packages from a window sill where they could be seen from the street to a side area in the lobby, she said.
The managing agents of 884 West End Ave. and 448 Central Park West did not return requests for comment. It was not clear what responsibilities Michel had as a custodian at the three buildings.
Michel's lawyer declined to comment.
