Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Brooklyn man has been sentenced to two-and-a-half to five years in prison for breaking into a Matzah factory in Williamsburg and stealing cash and checks worth over $94,000. The theft took place weeks before Passover, when the business was ramping up operations ahead of the Jewish holiday.
District Attorney Gonzalez said, “This defendant brazenly broke into a religious institution that was gearing up to make matzahs before the start of a Jewish holiday. He was caught red handed and will now be held responsible. My office will continue to protect the property of everyone in Brooklyn and to hold offenders to account.”
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Muntaquim Durant, 44, of Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Raymond Rodriguez to two-and-a-half to five years in prison, following his guilty plea in October to third-degree burglary.
The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on February 28, 2023, at approximately 9:50 a.m., the defendant entered the Satmar matzah bakery at 423 Broadway in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Surveillance video captured him enter the building, rummage through jackets on a coat rack, go upstairs, pour himself a cup of coffee, and enter the location’s office on the second floor.
The office was locked, but the defendant forced his way in and then exited the office a few seconds later with what appeared to be a wad of cash and checks in his pockets. He then exited the location.
An employee later entered the office and noticed checks were thrown around on the floor, and that there were missing checks and missing cash. The stolen checks totaled over $34,000 and the cash totaled over $60,000. Another employee called 911 and made a report.
The case detective created a wanted poster using the surveillance footage and other detectives identified the defendant, who was a suspect in other burglaries. He was arrested on March 15, 2023, during a routine traffic stop.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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7 Responses
I didn’t hear about this burglary.
Now I understand why my matzos were so expensive last year.
Why steal the afikoman when you can steal its direct value?
Why would these ehrliche Zalmanites leave $64,000 in CASH in an office that some low life thief could stop by have a cup of coffee (presumably with cholov yisroel) and then “within seconds” waltz out with the money? Also, why would there be that much cash lying around in FEBRUARY?
It was February 28, just a few days before Purim. Many ppl buy their matzos in advance.
When they complained to the first Satmar Rebbe about someone stealing from the moisdos, he answered, the next person will be a better ganuv. It’s just a matter of which thief can do it better.
True story. Ask any satmare askin.
How come that much money was not kept in a safe?
I would give the thief the option of serving only 1 year if he eats a pound of that Satmar matzah every day.