Heroes: Stolen $3,000 Intended For Wayne Food Pantry Recovered, Returned, YMCA Cleaner Charged

A cleaning company employee swiped $3,000 in cash and gift cards intended for the poor from the Wayne YMCA, but local investigators came to their rescue, authorities said.

Jerry DeMarco

02/18/2022 6:47 p.m.

Danny Figueroa, 37, of Paterson took two sets of Apple AirPods, one set of Samsung earbuds and a set of master keys to the facility in addition to the $3,000 earmarked for the Wayne Interfaith Network Food Pantry, Detective Capt. Dan Daly said.

The cash and property had all been in locked offices, the captain said.

A thorough investigation led Detective Tom Cydzik to Figueroa, who was employed by a cleaning company that serviced the YMCA between Feb. 11-15, when the crimes were reported, Daly said.

Detectives convinced Figureroa to surrender himself and the property he took, the captain said.

They charged him with burglary and theft and sent him to the Passaic County Jail to await a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Paterson.

The property was photographed and returned to the victims – including the food pantry cash, Daly said.

Thanks to Wayne police, “families in our community will not be deprived of much needed financial assistance to purchase food,” he said.

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