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Saturday, March 4, 2023
Bronx Chamber of Commerce - Irish Heritage Celebration & Networking Reception, 3/21/2023 at 6:00pm
Two Defendants Arrested For Stealing Over $1 Million From ATMs Throughout The Bronx
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Keechant L. Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of a two-count Complaint charging RAMDEO BALLIRAM and LEONARDO ORTIZ with bank theft and conspiracy to commit bank theft in connection with a years-long scheme in which they stole more than $1 million from Automated Teller Machines (“ATMs”) located in commercial establishments throughout the Bronx. BALLIRAM and ORTIZ were arrested and presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge James L. Cott.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, the defendants carried out a calculated scheme for years, stealing over a million dollars from ATMs in businesses throughout the Bronx. The relentless efforts of this Office and our law enforcement partners have finally put an end to the burglaries and thefts allegedly perpetrated by the defendants, and we will continue to be diligent in seeking justice for those affected by these crimes.”
NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said: “For nearly two years, these defendants allegedly targeted multiple small businesses in the Bronx – burglarizing, ransacking, and stealing more than $1 million. Their brazen scheme undermined public safety throughout an entire borough, and this complaint is the next step toward holding them accountable for their crimes. Thank you to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and all the NYPD investigators who worked together to bring charges in this case.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]
From at least in or about March 2021 through in or about January 2023, BALLIRAM, ORTIZ, and another individual (“CC-1”) engaged in a series of at least 23 burglaries of commercial establishments throughout the Bronx, in which they stole over $1 million from ATMs.
The burglaries followed a simple pattern: on each occasion, BALLIRAM, ORTIZ, and at least one other individual broke into Bronx small businesses — often bodegas or restaurants — in the middle of the night in order to steal all the cash from the ATM inside the store. In the course of stealing all the cash from the ATMs, BALLIRAM and ORTIZ also ransacked each store, stealing all the cash from the register, cigarettes, lottery tickets, alcohol, and digital video recording systems. BALLIRAM and ORTIZ stole tens of thousands of dollars in cash and valuables each time.
BALLIRAM and ORTIZ serially followed an armored car (“Bank Van-1”) as it refilled ATMs throughout the Bronx on behalf of a particular bank in order to determine which ATMs to target. Once BALLIRAM and ORTIZ learned which ATMs had been refilled, they then traveled to that location to break into the store and steal the cash. BALLIRAM and ORTIZ often used sophisticated tools to break into both the commercial establishments and the ATMs, as pictured below. On the occasion pictured below, BALLIRAM and ORTIZ stole more than $77,000 from the ATM:
On a few occasions, when they were unable to break into the ATM to steal the cash, BALLIRAM and ORTIZ stole the entire ATM. On at least one occasion, BALLIRAM and ORTIZ also used a stolen vehicle to carry out the scheme.
BALLIRAM, 44, of Queens, New York, and Ortiz, 52, of Queens, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank theft, which carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison, and one count of bank theft, which carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison.
The maximum potential penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD, particularly Detectives of the Bronx Grand Larceny Squad, and the Special Agents and Investigative Analysts of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
NYPD Announces Citywide Crime Statistics for February 2023
Major Crimes in the Subway System Have Declined More than 19% This Year
For the month of February 2023, overall index crime compared to February 2022 declined by 5.6% (8,785 v. 9,304) – driving a 0.4% (18,909 v. 18,976) reduction in overall index crime year-to-date compared to 2022. This reflects the NYPD’s ongoing work to ensure the safety and security of all New Yorkers, and to combat crime and violence in every neighborhood. February 2023 also saw the number of overall shooting incidents and murders in New York City both continue their week-over-week and month-over-month declines. Additionally, the number of hate crimes in New York City declined by 69% (27 v. 86) in February 2023 compared to the same period a year ago.
In the city’s subway system, major crimes fell by 9.1% (169 v. 186) in February 2023 compared to the same period last year, representing the second consecutive month of crime declines in the subway system. Consequently, transit index crimes are down 19.4% (315 v. 391) so far this year, with 76 fewer index crimes compared to the same period last year. This trend of safer subways, which has held steady since the institution of additional deployments in October 2022, reflects the city and state’s sustained investment in mass-transit security – and is a byproduct of 43.3% (200,281 v. 139,666) more station inspections by NYPD officers through the first two months of 2023 compared to the start of 2022.
Regarding the citywide decreases in overall index crime for February 2023, compared to February 2022, they were experienced in six of the NYPD’s eight patrol boroughs. Notably, the NYPD has driven a 10.5% (1,155 v. 1,290) decrease in citywide robberies in February 2023. More specifically, there have been significant decreases in robberies in the transit and housing bureaus and in more than half of the city’s police precincts: Robbery was down in 42 of 77 precincts, including fourteen in Manhattan and eight in the Bronx. Robbery levels remained unchanged in an additional seven precincts around the city in February 2023.
Citywide shooting incidents decreased in February by 14.7% (64 v. 75) – further extending the double-digit declines of 2022 – driven by steep reductions in the Bronx, Queens, and Northern Manhattan. Similarly, the number of gun violence victims across the city decreased by 2.4% (82 v. 84) compared to the same period last year, while murders in February decreased by 27.8% (26 v. 36). The women and men of the NYPD have seized 1,125 illegal firearms from the city’s streets so far this year, a 1.3% increase over the 1,111 illegal firearms seized through February 2022.
In Housing, the NYPD’s intelligence-based crime reduction strategies and augmented police coverage has helped to drive a 5.2% (435 v. 459) decrease in major crimes for February 2023 compared to February 2022, with a 31% (9 v. 13) decrease in shootings in all public housing areas for the month of February. Robberies in all city housing areas fell by 11.8% (75 v. 85) in the last month.
On enforcement, the number of arrests for index crimes in New York City in February is up 8.9% (3,811 v. 3,498) when compared to the February prior, a month-to-month benchmark unsurpassed since 2000 – nearly a quarter-century ago. Arrests for these most serious offenses have risen in each of the city’s five boroughs for both the month of February and for the calendar year, reflecting the NYPD’s adherence to precision policing.
“While it is early in the year, the crime statistics released today are encouraging as we saw significant reductions in major crimes across our streets, subways, and public housing developments in the month of February,” said Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell. “The NYPD continues to improve off of our accomplishments in 2022, and I am proud of our members who continue to address crime wherever and whenever it occurs. We can never lose focus of our mission: fight crime, keep people safe, and work in partnership with the community. Our success stems from our officers and the people we serve working alongside one another to create a safer city for all. There is much more work to do, and we will continue to step forward together.”
*All crime statistics are preliminary and subject to further analysis, revision, or change.*
Index Crime Statistics: February 2023
| February 2023 | February 2022 | +/- | % |
Murder | 26 | 36 | -10 | -27.8% |
Rape | 109 | 140 | -31 | -22.1% |
Robbery | 1155 | 1290 | -135 | -10.5% |
Fel. Assault | 1808 | 1725 | 83 | 4.8% |
Burglary | 1040 | 1224 | -184 | -15.0% |
Grand | 3539 | 3815 | -276 | -7.2% |
Grand Larceny Auto | 1108 | 1074 | 34 | 3.2% |
TOTAL | 8785 | 9304 | -519 | -5.6% |
Additional Statistics For February 2023
| February 2023 | February 2022 | +/- | % |
Transit | 169 | 186 | -17 | -9.1% |
Housing | 435 | 459 | -24 | -5.2% |
Citywide Shooting | 64 | 75 | -11 | -14.7% |
Rape Incident Reporting Statistics: February 2023
(Reports filed from February 1 – February 28 in years indicated)
Year | Total | Incident | Incident | Incident | Incident | Incident | Incident |
2023 | 109 | 74 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
2022 | 140 | 86 | 35 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
2021 | 99 | 57 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 15 |
2020 | 130 | 84 | 30 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 |
2019 | 133 | 86 | 26 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
2018 | 122 | 72 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 17 |
Rape continues to be underreported. If you are a victim of sexual assault, please come forward. The 24-hour NYPD Special Victims Division hotline is: 212-267-RAPE (7273).
Hate Crimes Statistics Summary for February 2023
(Representing February 1st – February 28th years indicated)
| Motivation | 2022 | 2021 | Diff | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Asian | 1 | 13 | -12 | -92% |
Black | 1 | 11 | -10 | -91% |
Disability | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
Ethnic | 3 | 1 | 2 | 200% |
Gender | 1 | 3 | -2 | -67% |
Hispanic | 2 | 0 | 2 | *** |
Jewish | 11 | 46 | -35 | -75% |
Muslim | 0 | 3 | -3 | *** |
Religion | 1 | 3 | -2 | -67% |
Sexual Orientation | 6 | 5 | 1 | -20% |
White | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0% |
TOTAL | 27 | 86 | -59 | -69% |
Note: Statistics above are subject to change upon investigation, as active possible bias cases may be reclassified to non-bias cases and removed from counted data.