Man gets prison in theft spree
‘Brazen’ NY thieves netted millions in Connecticut
A member of a gang of brazen New York thieves who made off with millions of dollars of high-end automobiles, cellphones and cashstuffed ATM machines in more than 100 break-ins along the Connecticut shoreline was sentenced to 4½ years in prison Monday.
Federal authorities said that over the last half of 2020, Douglas Noble, 28, of the Bronx was part of a five-man gang that pulled off 175 burglaries and was responsible for the theft of more than $4 million — mostly from from shoreline automobile dealerships and consumer electronics retailers.
“Reviewing the offense and relevant conduct here — 175 burglaries over roughly six months, millions of dollars in stolen property, firearm possession, and habitual high-speed chases with law enforcement — the word that comes to mind is brazen,” prosecutors said in a court filing.
Noble was once caught after a police chase with a loaded ATM machine in the back of a pickup truck. Cellphone photographs confiscated by authorities show him and the other four members of the burglary conspiracy flashing diamond jewelry and grasping bricks of cash as they pose with stolen cars or use banking machines to count money.
Noble pleaded guilty but claims in a court filing that he is an aspiring artists who joined the theft ring only to help a friend and “why he became involved in such an atypical criminal enterprise ... may forever remain a mystery.”
His lawyer, Richard Cramer, said in the filing that Noble lives with his aunt in a small apartment in New York City, eschews drugs and alcohol, has “produced works of art that are minimally saleable,” and “shows a potential for developing a rewarding avocation if not an actual vocation.” His aunt describes him as a “kind, loyal and generous person.”
Noble has one prior arrest, a state case in New York that is related to the federal theft case.
Federal prosecutors said New York police. after receiving a complaint of a burglary in progress, chased a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck in which Noble was a passenger. While attempt to elude the police, the pickup was driven over a curb, across a residential front lawn and became disabled after smashing into two parked cars.
Another member of the ring sped to the scene of the crash and picked up the driver of the pickup, but was forced by police to leave without Noble.
“Left behind but undeterred, Mr. Noble shoved officers and attempted to flee on foot,” federal prosecutors said. “He was finally stopped by an officer’s taser. The Silverado had been stolen from New York City; inside it were several ipads and iphones, and in the truck bed was a stolen ATM.”
Noble was released from custody while awaiting disposition of the New York arrest and was later charged in the federal burglary conspiracy.
Most of the businesses targeted by Noble and the others were car dealerships and cellphone stores, although the group also stole from check cash
ing businesses, video game retailers and, in at least one incident, the driveway of a private residence. The victims were spread across several Connecticut and New York counties.
The thieves are accused of targeting multiple business in one night; they would force entry by breaking a door or window, then steal cellphones or other merchandise or, in the case of dealerships, key fobs which they would use to steal cars from the dealership lot.
“All told, the conspiracy was responsible for over $4,000,000 in stolen property, with property damage such as broken doors and windows accounting for a small percentage of that,” prosecutors said. “The burglary and loss totals, while staggering, are conservative as they represent incidents for which there is sufficient evidence tying the theft to members of the conspiracy.”