A baggage cart employee working at John F. Kennedy Airport has been charged with grand larceny and other charges in connection with the alleged theft of $20,000 in cash from a passenger’s computer bag after it was mistakenly left it in a parking lot.
The defendant was identified as Rajendranauth Ramsahai, 58, of 101-59 117th Street in Richmond Hill, Queens. Ramsahai, is employed by Smarte Carte, Inc., is presently awaiting arraignment in Queens Criminal Court on a complaint charging him with one count of third degree grand larceny and one count of petit larceny.
Authorities say that on May 2, between 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., inside of the Blue Parking Lot at JFK airport, the complainant, Anis Rehman, left his computer case, which contained, among other things, $20,000 in United States currency, on a Smarte Carte baggage cart (a self-serve vended luggage cart) in an empty parking space, then got into a vehicle and drove away.
Rehman further charges that a short time later the defendant was captured on surveillance video walking up to the baggage cart, searching the bag, and then taking it away. The defendant later admitted he found the bag on a Smarte Carte and said that he took $600 from the bag and spent the money on gasoline, fast food, and some other stuff, and then left the computer bag and its contents, minus the currency, against a cement wall at the crosswalk.
The defendant faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.
