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Blaise Marckesano, of Shirley, was arraigned on more than a dozen criminal charges in Suffolk County Court on Thursday, Feb. 9.
Prosecutors said Marckesano stole six catalytic converters from recreational vehicles that were parked at W.E.S. Trailer Services in Wading River, between Dec. 11 and Dec. 13, 2021.
Catalytic converters are part of a vehicle’s exhaust and contain precious metals like palladium, platinum, and rhodium. They are frequently targeted by thieves.
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said prosecuting such “quality of life crimes” is a priority for his office.
“Thefts of catalytic converters are a nationwide issue, and with arrests such as this one, we are making good on our promise to aggressively prosecute these thefts and keep Suffolk County safe,” Tierney said in a statement.
“If you steal property from your neighbor and damage their property in the process, you will be prosecuted.”
In court Thursday, Marckesano was arraigned on the following charges:
- Auto Stripping - 1st degree (felony)
- Five counts of Criminal Mischief - 2nd degree (felony)
- Five counts of Grand Larceny - 4th degree (felony)
- Criminal Mischief - 3rd degree (felony)
- Petit Larceny (misdemeanor)
Following his arraignment, a judge ordered him to be placed on supervised release. He is scheduled to appear back in court on Tuesday, Feb. 28.
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