W. Babylon Man Charged in $10M Long Island Burglary Ring

A West Babylon man faces up to 15 years in prison for his role in an advanced burglary ring that stole over $10 million worth of property from Long Island homes and businesses over the last three years.

Nikitas Margiellos, 40, of West Babylon, was charged with Conspiracy to Commit Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property and Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property by the United States Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York.

According to an unsealed indictment, Margiellos led a group of men – Victor Arias, 37, of Copiague; former New York City Police Detective Rafael Astacio, 41, of Copiague; Michael Figueroa, 52, of Mount Vernon; and Leonard Repka, 50, of Lindenhurst – in a sophisticated burglary crew, committing an estimated 36 commercial burglaries and 10 residential burglaries between 2009 and 2012.

The indictment stated the crew used common tools, including blow torches, crowbars, wire cutters, and sledge hammers, in addition to modern-day technology, including cell phone jammers and police scanners, to carry out their big hauls.

In one instance, the Attorney's Office said, the crew even used a tracking device on a victim's car to determine whether they were near the location the burglars would strike.

Another instance was in Plainview where Arias, Figueroa and Repka allegedly broke into and stole from a business. The indictment stated Astacio, along with another conspirator, acted as look-outs using a police scanner. In a three-and-a-half-hour theft, the group made off with over 45,000 pairs of sunglasses valued at $3 million. The group then allegedly sold the stolen goods on the Internet.

Astacio, who was a detective with the New York City Police Department at the time, was also charged with unlawfully accessing a database that was maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Each member of the burglary ring faces up to 15 years in prison for their acts. Astatcio could face up to 17 years in jail for the additional computer crimes.

"The defendants were part of a sophisticated burglary crew that victimized Long Island businesses and residents for more than three years," said United States Attorney Loretta Lynch. "The defendant Astacio’s actions make clear that he was a police officer in name only, having sold his badge and his honor in exchange for his share of their ill-gotten gains."

The group will face their initial appearances at the United States Courthouse in Central Islip on Thursday afternoon.