Photo Courtesy of Google
The unoccupied armored vehicle was stolen from in front of this HSBC Bank branch on Sunrise Highway in Valley Stream, L.I.
By Michael V. Cusenza
Three men, including a Richmond Hill father and son, have been indicted for their roles in the theft of $510,000 from an armored car on Nov. 2 in Valley Stream, L.I., federal prosecutors announced on Friday.
The indictment was unsealed in federal court in Suffolk County and charged Alexis Laguerra, Raymond Soto, Jr., and his father, Raymond Soto with bank larceny. Laguerra, 30, was previously arrested on a complaint and released on $250,000 bail. The Brooklyn resident was arraigned on Friday, pleaded not guilty, and was continued released on bail.
Raymond Soto, 48, a.k.a. Razor, also was arraigned on Friday. He pleaded not guilty and was ordered detained. As of Wednesday evening, his son, Raymond, Jr., 28, a.k.a. Rambo, was still on the lam.
According to the indictment and complaint, Laguerra and the Sotos, all members of the Unknown Bikers Motorcycle Club, allegedly stole bank funds contained in three bags inside a GardaWorld armored car. Two employees of GardaWorld, Laguerra and John Doe #1, were working the overnight shift (8 p.m. to 6 a.m.) as the driver of the armored car and messenger, respectively. Their assignment the night of Friday, Nov. 2 was to empty automated teller machines at bank branches and refill each ATM with “fresh money” of between $99,800 and $275,000. Upon arrival at an HSBC Bank branch on Sunrise Highway in Valley Stream at 2:22 a.m., Laguerra and John Doe #1 exited the armored car and entered the bank. The unoccupied armored car was subsequently stolen and later recovered nearby. The three bags of cash, each containing $170,000, were gone.
Additionally, Laguerra and the younger Soto had an agreement to destroy text messages they had exchanged setting up the heist.
On Friday morning, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Sotos’ 91st Avenue residence and allegedly recovered $131,000 in cash packaged in the same manner as cash is packaged by GardaWorld. Authorities also allegedly found a gun, ammunition, and a quantity of marijuana and cocaine in the Sotos’ apartment.
