Burglar attempts to get into four houses, succeeds in 2

Labor Day weekend Pat LaFrieda received a call from his 18-year-old son saying there was a motion light on in the garage of their Scenic Place home. He told his son to get back in his truck as he opened up security footage on his phone. What LaFreida saw horrified him and he told his son to get out of there as he called the police.

Police from the 50th Precinct arrived at the scene and apprehended a 35-year-old suspect at around 11 p.m. on Sept. 2. Carlos Lirano of the Bronx was arrested after he was allegedly found with burglar tools, crystal methamphetamine, a starter gun, and two knives.

“This could’ve been senseless violence,” LaFreida said to The Riverdale Press. “I don’t even want to think about it. I’m nauseous over it. When it’s your home and it’s invaded, there’s a different feeling of how can I say it, how do I describe that feeling? They’ve come into your sacred place where your family lives, where you raised your family, where you spent time with your family. It now feels soiled in a way.”

During the burglary LaFreida was at his primary residence in New Jersey celebrating the Labor Day holiday. They had a family rule of having no phones during family time and were playing games together. His son had to step out to drive his girlfriend back to Manhattan. Following that stop he went to his Riverdale home to pick up clothes. That’s when the motion sensored light was observed.

“And he called me and said ‘Dad, there is a light on in the garage,’ LaFreida said. “And I’m like it’s motion-activated and he says he sees another light on in the house. ‘Are you in the house?’ I say. ‘Go back into the truck’ and I said, ‘Patrick, give me a second. Let me try to quarterback this.’”

It was when LaFreida accessed the surveillance cameras on his phone that he realized there was someone inside their home. This prompted him to tell his son to leave immediately and call police.

“The 50th Precinct was there in under 10 minutes,” LaFreida said. “They formed up, like I’ve never seen. I was in the military and it looked like a military operation. A group of officers came in, a final group staged outside as supporters. Someone worked at the side door or back and they had that covered too.”

A police officer involved in the operation told The Press there were eight officers inside the residence and 10-12 outside.  Surveillance footage The Press received showed a group of cops escorting Lirano in handcuffs out of the house.

Fortunately, no one was hurt and nothing was taken. Lirano opened LaFreida’s mail and attempted to leave with it, said police.

He was arrested and charged with burglary, criminal possession of controlled substance, criminal mischief, possession of burglar tools, petit larceny and criminal trespass.

However, that was apparently not the only house Lirano tried breaking into that night. LaFreida explained how Lirano approached a neighbor’s house that was under renovations acting as if he was delivering food. He was allegedly in the home for 12 hours.

Following that neighbor’s house, he attempted to get into two more houses, but was stopped by the homeowners. Finally, he went to LaFreida’s home. It apparently took him three hours to break in.

One piece of security footage showed the alleged burglar trying to climb up to an elevated window. Another showed him disarming exterior lights on a porch. According to LaFreida, Lirano attempted to get in through the backdoor with a knife for about an hour.

When that didn’t work, he went back to the neighbor’s house that was under renovation and stole two shovels. With a shovel he was able to finally wedge his way inside after a half hour, said LaFreida. He was in the house for about 45 minutes.

LaFreida wasn’t sure exactly what the burglar wanted as he didn’t steal anything. Most of the damage came from the backdoor. He was thankful to have had a fortified home and a son who was observant in the face of a home invasion.

“It’s a very serene place,” LaFreida said of his block. “I’m assuming that’s why he chose it.”

As the CEO of Pat LaFreida Meat Purveyors, LaFreida has received many calls about break-ins from restaurant owners who purchase his products. He referenced one owner who a burglar stole nothing but a reservation book. It would have been funny if it weren’t for the fact that the owner and staff livelihood rely on it. In various other instances LaFreida has heard of burglars who when found no money to steal took water bottles and threw them against the wall in frustration.

At his own restaurant at Time Out Market New York, someone masquerading as a DoorDash driver came in and took the food from the counter, causing chaos in the restaurant in figuring out what meals were ordered. The burglary at his own home was understandably more invasive though.

When LaFreida was asked if he wanted to let Liriano off with a misdemeanor the answer was an easy no. Lirano’s latest court appearance was this Wednesday at the Bronx Criminal Court.