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JFK Terminal Bandit Facing 15 Years For 'Brazen Thievery,' DA Says

By Ben Fractenberg | April 27, 2017 3:58pm
 Eric Love, who's been arrested 50 times, stole fragrances and Fitbits, officials said.
Eric Love, who's been arrested 50 times, stole fragrances and Fitbits, officials said.
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PAPD and Department of Corrections

QUEENS — A Brooklyn ex-con who bought multiple plane tickets to Los Angeles in order to steal $17,000 worth of goods from JFK Airport is facing up to 15 years in prison after being charged with grand larceny, the Queens District Attorney said Thursday.

Eric “Equality Martin” Love, 50, used tickets to gain access to the airport’s terminal on Jan. 23 where he was seen on video stealing $3,300 worth of Chanel, Tom Ford, Hugo Boss, Gucci and Dior perfume bottles from a duty free shop and then placing them in a Nike roller bag, according to the Queens DA.

He returned to the airport on April 2 and was again seen on video swiping $2,000 worth of fragrances and then two days later he stole $1,000 worth of cologne and perfume.

Finally, on April 14 he went to a Hudson News stand in Terminal Four and used a burglar’s tool to steal 18 Fitbit watches worth $3,900 from a security case and placed them in his roller bag.

Port Authority police became wise to the scheme, though, and waited for Love to return to the airport, which he did on Tuesday when he was arrested.

“The defendant, who did occasionally travel to Los Angeles, was allegedly observed on airport video surveillance stealing dozens of bottles of expensive perfumes as well as using a tool to disengage the secured Fitbit devices from a case at a newsstand," Queens DA Richard Brown said in a statement. "The defendant now faces serious prison time for this alleged brazen thievery.”

He had been convicted in 1997 for possession of controlled substance and skipping bail. He was paroled in 2001.

He was arrested again in 2007 and convicted for possession of stolen property. He served a year in prison.

Then in 2010 he was again convicted for possession of stolen property and was released in 2011.

Love was arraigned on grand larceny and possession of burglar’s tools charges in Queens Criminal Court Wednesday night. He was held on $60,000 bail and is due back in court on May 10.