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Thief Steals $17K In Merchandise From Gucci Flagship Store, NYPD Says

By Maya Rajamani | April 28, 2016 5:14pm
 Jose Almonte, 26, stole more than $17,000 worth of merchandise from the Gucci flagship store at 725 Fifth Ave., police said.
Jose Almonte, 26, stole more than $17,000 worth of merchandise from the Gucci flagship store at 725 Fifth Ave., police said.
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Gucci

MIDTOWN — A thief stole more than $17,000 worth of merchandise from Gucci’s Fifth Avenue flagship store, police said.

Bronx resident Jose Almonte, 26, stole approximately 47 items valued at $17,625 from the store at 725 Fifth Ave. near 56th Street, including belts, shoes and wallets, according to police and a complaint filed with the Manhattan District Attorney's office.

A source told a Midtown North Precinct detective that he saw live video footage of Almonte shipping a package filled with Gucci merchandise to a warehouse on or around April 18 at approximately 5 p.m., the DA’s office said.

Another person watched video of Almonte shipping “several packages” containing merchandise valued at more than $15,000 to the same warehouse between March 1 and April 18, the complaint said.

Almonte admitted to the detective that he had taken around 35 belts from the Gucci store — some of which he shipped to the warehouse and others with which he walked out of the store, the DA’s office said.

It was not clear from where Almonte shipped the goods or where the warehouse was located.

He told the detective he’d managed to sell four of the belts but still had the others, according to the complaint. Almonte also said some of the stolen goods were in his car, the DA’s office said.

“All but about three of the items still had Gucci tags on them,” the complaint added.

A representative for Gucci did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.

Almonte was arrested and charged with grand larceny, the DA’s office said.

He was released on his own recognizance and is expected to appear in court on June 20, according to the DA’s office.

An attorney for Almonte did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.