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June 26, 2018 By Christian Murray
A Whitestone man who pleaded guilty to stealing more than a dozen catalytic converters from cars parked throughout Queens was sentenced yesterday to one year in jail, according to the Queens District Attorney’s office.
Michael Cipriati, 34, removed a total of 15 catalytic converters from vehicles parked on various streets in neighborhoods such as Flushing, Astoria, Long Island City, College Point, Jackson Heights, Little Neck and Sunnyside between Oct. 20 and Dec. 26 in 2017. He would then sell the parts for cash.
Cirpriati pleaded guilty to second-degree auto stripping in Queens Supreme Court last month
The make and models of the vehicles Cipriati stole from included a Ford Econoline van, Toyota Prius, Acura TL, Dodge Sprinter van, Honda Odyssey, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Mercedes Benz, Honda Element, Mitsubishi Endeavor, Mitsubishi Outlander and Chevy Cavalier.
“With the price of scrap metal continuing to increase, this mechanically-inclined defendant brazenly stole the parts and then sold them to a recycling facility in the Bronx for cash. The sentence imposed today is warranted,” said Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown in a statement yesterday.
There were witnesses who observed Cipriati removing the converters. Additionally, on at least 11 of the occasions the catalytic converters were taken, he sold them on the same day to Alpha Recycling in the Bronx.
