A Far Rockaway man pleaded guilty last week to stealing passenger bags on six different occasions between 2011 and 2012 at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
According to District Attorney Richard Brown, Fredrick McDonald, 46, who lived on Grasmere Terrace in Far Rockaway, pleaded guilty to third and fourth degree grand larceny for stealing the passenger luggage at JFK airport. His sentencing is set for Au- gust 15 and he faces three to six years in prison for his actions.
Between September 2011 and February 2012, McDonald stole bags from passengers that carried expensive valuables inside.
During one of the incidents In January 2012, he offered to help someone push their luggage cart while pretending to be a Jet Blue worker. As the victim turned to attend to her young child, McDonald stole the cart, which had a pocketbook, luggage and a carry-on bag. The cart was eventually recovered, but missing from it was an iPad, $6,000, a camera and passports.
The most recent incident took place at the end of February 2012, when McDonald took the victim’s lap top computer and a backpack, which had a cell phone, digital camera and $2,500.
Brown said that the Port AuthorityPolice Department reviewed hundreds of hours of surveillance footage and found video of McDonald stealing the luggage and searching through the stolen property.
“Traveling through the airports is stressful enough these days without having to worry that if you turn your back for a moment a thief who is lurking about will steal your luggage,” Brown said. “Based on the defendant’s own admissions, the sentence prom- ised by the Court —3 to 6 years in state prison—is more than justified.”
