Robbers who tried to steal Christmas
Two men posed as police officers to rob a family of its presents on Christmas Eve.
The men, wearing bullet-proof vests bearing the New York Police Department logo, tied up Robert Kapovic and his wife and ransacked their home for nearly four hours as their three children slept on unaware.
“They acted like the Grinch in the Dr Seuss classic ’How the Grinch Stole Christmas,”’ District Attorney Richard Brown said. “Unfortunately for them their plan was foiled when real police officers stopped them and the victims’ belongings were returned in time for the holiday.”
Mr Kapovic was pistol-whipped, and his wife was threatened with the prospect of never seeing her children again, prosecutors said.
The youngsters – aged seven, three, two and one – apparently slept through the robbery, even as the attackers rifled through their bedrooms and took 4,000 dollars cash, diamond jewellery, electronics and drink from throughout the house, they said.
When the men left in the early hours of December 24, the couple freed themselves, and Mr Kapovic followed them in his car, using his onboard global positioning system to lead police to them, prosecutors said.
Authorities said they recovered the stolen property, police paraphernalia and two airguns.
Constantino Christo and Nicholas Papaleo pleaded not guilty at their arraignment on charges including burglary, robbery, assault, criminal impersonation and endangering the welfare of a child.
