1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:03,640 You're watching CNBC On Demand. 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:13,080 In this episode of American Greed. It was like Ocean's Eleven, just without 3 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:15,020 Pitt, George Clooney, and Matt Damon. 4 00:00:15,340 --> 00:00:19,080 A brazen band of burglars with an arsenal to match. 5 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:25,560 They used crowbars, they used hydraulic lifts, acetylene torches. 6 00:00:25,940 --> 00:00:27,520 I turn this on right now. 7 00:00:27,900 --> 00:00:31,480 Your cell phones aren't going to work. And the loot is piling up. 8 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:33,140 Everything was gone. 9 00:00:33,340 --> 00:00:34,440 Everything was gone. 10 00:00:36,580 --> 00:00:41,580 $150 ,000 here, $1 .9 million there. 11 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:48,720 They took 45 ,000 pairs of high -end sunglasses valued at in excess of $3 12 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:53,400 million. And even the most seasoned detectives can't pin them down. 13 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:55,200 We had nothing up our sleeve. 14 00:00:55,980 --> 00:00:59,240 Because this crew has the law on its side. 15 00:00:59,660 --> 00:01:04,360 This was a conscious decision to not protect and serve, to do the opposite. 16 00:01:05,060 --> 00:01:09,100 A crooked New York City cop who knows all the tricks. 17 00:01:09,300 --> 00:01:12,440 He used what we know against us. 18 00:01:12,820 --> 00:01:15,660 Each time investigators turn up the heat. 19 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:19,640 He knew right away that our everyday techniques would be ineffective against 20 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:22,620 this crew. Each time they think they have the upper hand. 21 00:01:22,980 --> 00:01:24,980 And I'm thinking, we've got them. 22 00:01:25,260 --> 00:01:27,040 These crooks have other plans. 23 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:30,880 They can't help themselves, and this is how they made a living. 24 00:01:31,380 --> 00:01:34,660 It takes a big set of stones to do something like that. 25 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:54,820 Long Island, New York. 26 00:01:56,340 --> 00:02:01,860 Arrow Produce is a thriving fruit and vegetable wholesale distributor with 27 00:02:01,860 --> 00:02:04,160 customers up and down the East Coast. 28 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:10,900 In the summer of 2010, business is good. They're running almost around the 29 00:02:10,900 --> 00:02:11,900 clock. 30 00:02:12,180 --> 00:02:15,140 It is my home. I'm here more than I am at my house. 31 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:22,780 But in the wee hours of Sunday, July 11th, The warehouse has a short stretch 32 00:02:22,780 --> 00:02:28,120 downtime, and that's when co -owner Mike Longo gets a call at home. 33 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:33,100 Nothing good happens at 3 o 'clock in the morning. There's nothing, and you 34 00:02:33,100 --> 00:02:34,860 a phone call. It's never good news. 35 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:37,820 He arrives to find a surreal scene. 36 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:42,140 Someone has entered through an unlocked upstairs window. 37 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:47,300 They've cut the phone lines and removed the recording equipment for the security 38 00:02:47,300 --> 00:02:48,300 cameras. 39 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:52,280 The first floor office, it ran back. 40 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:58,620 I walk out of the office, not really sure what was going on, and I see yellow 41 00:02:58,620 --> 00:03:04,300 spray paint, and it's basically graffiti on the wall, and it says, for the safe, 42 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:05,360 take the onion. 43 00:03:05,620 --> 00:03:08,520 And at that point, I said, uh -oh, there's a problem. 44 00:03:09,260 --> 00:03:14,700 It's the burglar's twisted, attempted humor, but what Longo finds just steps 45 00:03:14,700 --> 00:03:16,980 away isn't funny at all. 46 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:23,200 The solid concrete floor is cracked from the burglars heaving the safe off of a 47 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:25,540 second -story ledge to get it out of the building. 48 00:03:26,300 --> 00:03:29,600 The onions, not surprisingly, are still there. 49 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:35,340 The crooks haul out their loot in a stolen Aero Produce truck. 50 00:03:37,740 --> 00:03:42,420 For Mike Longo, the enormity of what has happened slowly sinks in. 51 00:03:43,080 --> 00:03:44,400 So now... 52 00:03:45,020 --> 00:03:50,200 You're saying, how did this possibly happen? And you feel empty inside. 53 00:03:50,580 --> 00:03:51,780 The total haul? 54 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:57,220 By Longo's estimate, cash and property worth $150 ,000. 55 00:03:58,540 --> 00:04:03,860 Everything was taken from you. Everything you worked for your entire 56 00:04:03,860 --> 00:04:07,960 get in at, you know, get up at 2 o 'clock every single morning to make a 57 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:13,680 for your family and make a living for all of the families that work for you. 58 00:04:14,300 --> 00:04:18,399 And to know that something was taken from you, it's very, very difficult to 59 00:04:18,399 --> 00:04:19,399 trust anybody. 60 00:04:19,399 --> 00:04:24,140 But how do the burglars know the only time when the warehouse will be closed? 61 00:04:24,500 --> 00:04:27,300 How do they know which window to use? 62 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:33,120 And once inside, how do they find their way through an old, dark warehouse full 63 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:37,880 of twists and turns to the exact room where the security system is? 64 00:04:39,620 --> 00:04:41,760 Could this be an inside job? 65 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:49,340 We thought right away, oh, it had to be somebody that we know, somebody that 66 00:04:49,340 --> 00:04:53,900 was in this business. Did we fire an employee recently? You know, you're 67 00:04:53,900 --> 00:04:55,900 questioning yourself every day. 68 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:59,860 Could it have been this person? I mean, I have an identical twin brother that 69 00:04:59,860 --> 00:05:01,440 works for me that I had to question. 70 00:05:03,100 --> 00:05:08,180 But Arrow Produce isn't the only sophisticated burglary on Long Island. 71 00:05:08,540 --> 00:05:11,940 The string of unsolved crimes goes back more than a year. 72 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:17,140 Using heavy equipment, sometimes stolen from their targets, the burglars hit 73 00:05:17,140 --> 00:05:20,160 businesses, homes, sometimes boats. 74 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:25,060 They watch the pattern so they know that person's hours that they're at their 75 00:05:25,060 --> 00:05:28,860 business, the hours they're at their home, and then ultimately maybe hit 76 00:05:28,860 --> 00:05:30,020 business and hit their home. 77 00:05:31,620 --> 00:05:35,960 In one case, they steal $100 ,000 from a meat warehouse. 78 00:05:36,460 --> 00:05:40,660 An outrageously successful heist. But why stop there? 79 00:05:41,260 --> 00:05:43,140 There's more where that came from. 80 00:05:44,100 --> 00:05:48,460 Well, this is a cash business, so maybe the owner keeps cash from the business 81 00:05:48,460 --> 00:05:49,600 at their home. 82 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:55,340 They attach a GPS tracking device to the owner's car to follow her movements. 83 00:05:55,880 --> 00:06:01,700 When she's not at home, they break in and confirm their hunch to the tune of 84 00:06:01,700 --> 00:06:03,660 $100 ,000 more. 85 00:06:05,540 --> 00:06:07,820 This was far from a smash and grab operation. 86 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:14,860 This is, in my experience, likely the most sophisticated burglary crew that 87 00:06:14,860 --> 00:06:15,860 encountered. 88 00:06:16,180 --> 00:06:21,360 But to Nassau County Detective Lieutenant John May, the pattern is all 89 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:26,820 familiar. It reminds him of a case he had worked on 10 years earlier with 90 00:06:26,820 --> 00:06:28,060 striking similarities. 91 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:35,720 When I was assigned to the 2nd Squad in 1999, it was a million 92 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:38,740 -dollar jewelry theft. And from there, the case. 93 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:45,900 exponentially exploded into all numerous, numerous burglaries. And the 94 00:06:45,900 --> 00:06:47,720 all over, taking us all different directions. 95 00:06:49,220 --> 00:06:56,060 The burglars hit homes and businesses, all carefully planned and surgically 96 00:06:56,060 --> 00:06:57,060 executed. 97 00:06:58,540 --> 00:07:02,240 They used a lot of different techniques, a lot of tools. 98 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:06,120 They would break through walls. They would steal a tremendous amount. 99 00:07:06,660 --> 00:07:08,040 The total haul? 100 00:07:08,750 --> 00:07:10,370 More than $7 million. 101 00:07:14,690 --> 00:07:19,210 Finally, in 2002, the blockbuster case hits the headlines. 102 00:07:19,690 --> 00:07:22,010 Police arrest 13 people. 103 00:07:22,750 --> 00:07:29,510 Among them, 29 -year -old Nikitas Margielos. Crew members call him Little 104 00:07:29,510 --> 00:07:36,170 and not just because he's only 5 '5". He was not the top of the food chain in 105 00:07:36,170 --> 00:07:37,990 that crew. He was a minor player. 106 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:39,940 not one of our main pockets. 107 00:07:40,300 --> 00:07:42,880 But Nicky is a quick study. 108 00:07:44,460 --> 00:07:48,740 Raised in the working -class neighborhood of Ozone Park, Queens, he 109 00:07:48,740 --> 00:07:53,840 early education in the ways of the street, drinking and gambling. 110 00:07:54,960 --> 00:07:59,480 On the burglary crew, he goes in big on the business of breaking and entering. 111 00:07:59,960 --> 00:08:05,280 He was a brazen individual that did what he had to do to make money, wasn't 112 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:07,600 intimidated, wasn't afraid of law enforcement. 113 00:08:08,270 --> 00:08:11,670 But little Nicky learns a tough lesson about overconfidence. 114 00:08:12,130 --> 00:08:15,950 He pleads guilty to a single count of transporting stolen property. 115 00:08:16,930 --> 00:08:22,870 And in 2004, he is sentenced to five months in prison, followed by three 116 00:08:22,870 --> 00:08:28,990 probation, which comes to an end just in time for a new burglary crew to go to 117 00:08:28,990 --> 00:08:30,610 work. They said they're back. 118 00:08:31,190 --> 00:08:33,330 They're back. And we got a case to do. 119 00:08:33,820 --> 00:08:38,620 Only this time, Little Nicky is the big man in charge, running the operation 120 00:08:38,620 --> 00:08:40,700 from this tool and dye business. 121 00:08:41,220 --> 00:08:44,480 This was the epicenter of our burglary crew. 122 00:08:44,940 --> 00:08:49,080 Almost all the time they would meet here before they decided to go out on their 123 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:50,080 missions. 124 00:08:50,660 --> 00:08:56,400 With a hidden camera atop a nearby flagpole, Lieutenant John May and his 125 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:58,460 set up 24 -hour surveillance. 126 00:09:00,490 --> 00:09:06,550 On an April evening in 2011, detectives are on scene watching from an unmarked 127 00:09:06,550 --> 00:09:10,130 van across the street, and Nicky has had enough. 128 00:09:11,550 --> 00:09:16,790 So he and crew member Victor Arias decide to brazenly turn the tables. 129 00:09:16,990 --> 00:09:19,790 Running for cover just isn't their style. 130 00:09:20,350 --> 00:09:24,870 It was like he was getting ready for a battle. He comes out, he had a cigarette 131 00:09:24,870 --> 00:09:29,290 in his mouth, and he throws it down, getting ready. I watched Arias. 132 00:09:29,580 --> 00:09:35,180 Lift up. It appeared to be a weapon of some sort to expose it. And he walks to 133 00:09:35,180 --> 00:09:40,200 the van, and they approach the van. They start yelling to the van. They're 134 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:41,500 rocking it, and they're screaming. 135 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:46,620 Still trying to maintain their cover, the police inside stay perfectly still. 136 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:49,720 And when the coast is clear, they drive away. 137 00:09:51,680 --> 00:09:53,780 But Nicky isn't done yet. 138 00:09:55,720 --> 00:10:00,560 Our subjects see the van leaving, and now they go in pursuit of our van. 139 00:10:01,660 --> 00:10:03,800 We had bad guys chasing good guys. 140 00:10:06,060 --> 00:10:10,660 Well, it takes a big set of stones to do something like that. 141 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:16,940 The undercover officers manage to signal a marked SWAT car nearby, which pulls 142 00:10:16,940 --> 00:10:21,120 Nicky and company over just long enough for the van to get away. 143 00:10:23,560 --> 00:10:28,380 But Nicky has delivered his message, and the stakes have just gotten higher. 144 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:34,000 That video, you show it to any cop, and right away, I'm in. I want part of this 145 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:37,440 action, because these guys are real bad, and they're not afraid to go against 146 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:38,239 the good guys. 147 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:42,260 But just how do the bad guys seem to know the good guys' every move? 148 00:10:42,860 --> 00:10:44,660 Up next on American Greed. 149 00:10:44,940 --> 00:10:46,280 We had nothing up our sleeve. 150 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:48,060 You know, he knew everything. 151 00:10:48,680 --> 00:10:50,920 Nicky Margielos has a secret weapon. 152 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:53,200 And he carries a bag. 153 00:11:09,020 --> 00:11:13,800 On New York's Long Island, a high -tech burglary crew is running roughshod, 154 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:19,320 targeting homes and businesses that have cash or merchandise the burglars can 155 00:11:19,320 --> 00:11:24,570 sell. Using sophisticated equipment, they break down doors, cut through 156 00:11:24,870 --> 00:11:28,670 and disable alarm systems before anyone knows what hit them. 157 00:11:28,870 --> 00:11:32,770 I'm walking around with this officer. You're saying to yourself, how did 158 00:11:32,770 --> 00:11:37,550 somebody get in here? Right? We have a camera system. We have an alarm system. 159 00:11:38,010 --> 00:11:40,350 And I wasn't called. 160 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:49,200 One week after the burglary at Arrow Produce in July of 2010, Nassau County 161 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:53,600 detectives spot a suspicious car outside a local auto parts store. 162 00:11:55,060 --> 00:11:59,040 There were three men in the car. As soon as they approached the car, the car 163 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:00,040 took off. 164 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:05,060 With police in hot pursuit... 165 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:07,860 Objects begin flying out of the car windows. 166 00:12:08,100 --> 00:12:13,220 As they're forcing the car over, the occupants are throwing out crowbars and 167 00:12:13,220 --> 00:12:15,520 masks and scanners and that sort of thing. 168 00:12:15,900 --> 00:12:21,040 Police arrest the three men for possession of burglary tools, a 169 00:12:21,860 --> 00:12:27,480 Among those arrested, Nicky Margielos, who pleads guilty to a lesser charge of 170 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:28,480 reckless driving. 171 00:12:29,140 --> 00:12:32,800 I recognized the name Nicky Margielos right away. 172 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:37,860 The same little Nicky from the crew ten years before. I knew it was going to be 173 00:12:37,860 --> 00:12:42,260 a big case. A case like this is a big battle. This is what you look for. You 174 00:12:42,260 --> 00:12:48,020 look to get your army together, fight their army. It's big time. 175 00:12:48,860 --> 00:12:52,980 Detective Lieutenant John May brings the case to Assistant District Attorney 176 00:12:52,980 --> 00:12:56,560 Rick Whalen, Chief of the Organized Crime and Rackets Bureau. 177 00:12:57,160 --> 00:12:59,960 He told me that this is really somebody that we need to look into. 178 00:13:00,220 --> 00:13:04,160 I was intrigued because Lieutenant May has a pretty good nose for 179 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:09,100 investigations. Sort of out of the venue of the district attorney squad who 180 00:13:09,100 --> 00:13:13,940 investigate burglaries, but he trusted me and my judgment to go after this 181 00:13:16,260 --> 00:13:17,620 The battle is on. 182 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:21,920 John May and his team have Nicky Margiellos and his crew under constant 183 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:24,560 surveillance, but it doesn't seem to matter. 184 00:13:25,260 --> 00:13:29,900 Once they decided to commit the burglary, they would be careful on 185 00:13:29,900 --> 00:13:33,600 They would look for us. They used to do counter surveillance on us. 186 00:13:34,820 --> 00:13:38,600 Again and again, the burglars give police the slip. 187 00:13:38,860 --> 00:13:43,160 They had a decoy caught to lead us away, and the actual burglary crew went and 188 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:44,160 committed the burglary. 189 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:50,180 They even figure out how to do a job while detectives are watching, close 190 00:13:50,180 --> 00:13:52,620 to be seen, too far away to be caught. 191 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:55,880 Doing a surveillance, you can't be on top of the individual. 192 00:13:56,140 --> 00:13:57,940 You have to be back so they don't make you. 193 00:13:58,260 --> 00:14:02,480 They would commit a burglary while we were in the near vicinity, and they know 194 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:03,480 it. 195 00:14:03,500 --> 00:14:08,520 Detectives try attaching GPS tracking devices to the suspects' cars, but the 196 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:10,460 crooks know to look for them. 197 00:14:10,700 --> 00:14:15,560 In fact, one of the defendants in the case, he found a tracker, walked into a 198 00:14:15,560 --> 00:14:19,120 precinct, put the tracker on the desk and said, I believe this belongs to you. 199 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:23,500 There's a reason this crew can afford to be cocky. 200 00:14:25,180 --> 00:14:30,000 It finally becomes clear on the night that Mickey Margielos approaches the 201 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:31,180 police undercover van. 202 00:14:33,180 --> 00:14:36,380 Another man is seen leaving the shop and driving off. 203 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:42,400 Investigators run the plates and trace the vehicle to New York City police 204 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:44,800 detective Rafael Astacio. 205 00:14:45,740 --> 00:14:47,560 My first reaction is betrayal. 206 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:49,600 He's part of our team. 207 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:52,200 and he turned against us. 208 00:14:57,040 --> 00:15:02,080 This from a man who will later say he felt called to be a cop. 209 00:15:02,580 --> 00:15:08,600 Rafael D 'Estacio is born in Brooklyn in 1972, a year to the day after his 210 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:11,920 grandmother is fatally shot in a domestic dispute. 211 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:18,640 On the day he graduates from the police academy at age 20, He goes to the 212 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:23,700 cemetery in his full dress uniform to pay his respects to the grandmother he's 213 00:15:23,700 --> 00:15:24,700 never met. 214 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:29,160 In his early years on the force, Estacio does his grandmother proud. 215 00:15:29,500 --> 00:15:34,760 He rises quickly through the ranks. He makes detective, special victims unit. 216 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:40,620 Outside of work, he has a family of his own and builds a life on Long Island. 217 00:15:40,860 --> 00:15:44,820 He had kids in school. He had a daughter in college. You know, not different 218 00:15:44,820 --> 00:15:46,180 from many other police officers. 219 00:15:46,830 --> 00:15:49,110 But his suburban life has a dark side. 220 00:15:49,430 --> 00:15:53,150 He's in a regular high -stakes card game at a local cigar store. 221 00:15:53,650 --> 00:15:57,530 That's where he makes a new friend, Nicky Margielos. 222 00:15:59,130 --> 00:16:03,650 Their partnership starts small, with Estacio providing tips on potential 223 00:16:03,650 --> 00:16:09,850 locations. But just as he rose quickly at the NYPD, Estacio quickly becomes a 224 00:16:09,850 --> 00:16:11,590 full member of Nicky's crew. 225 00:16:12,130 --> 00:16:15,370 He had the opportunity to avail himself to all the electronic. 226 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:22,320 investigative methods in the NYPD, being wired up, cameras, trackers, all that 227 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:26,980 information he brought with him to the burglary crew, which was invaluable. 228 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:29,060 We had nothing up our sleeve. 229 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:31,100 You know, he knew everything. 230 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:37,820 As the list of burglaries grows, the case attracts attention from the feds, 231 00:16:37,820 --> 00:16:41,280 including Assistant U .S. Attorney Chris Cavarone. 232 00:16:41,820 --> 00:16:46,280 Burglary is not a federal crime, but the interstate transportation of stolen 233 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:47,280 property is. 234 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:52,140 So much stolen property, Caperone knows they'll have to look beyond Long Island 235 00:16:52,140 --> 00:16:57,580 to unload it. And there's no doubt Nicky Margielos, Rafael Estacio, and the crew 236 00:16:57,580 --> 00:16:59,120 have the means. 237 00:16:59,740 --> 00:17:05,280 This crew is an extraordinarily sophisticated, intelligent, careful, 238 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:06,280 crew. 239 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:10,540 I like to say it was like Ocean's Eleven, just without Brad Pitt. 240 00:17:11,310 --> 00:17:12,670 George Clooney and Matt Damon. 241 00:17:14,970 --> 00:17:19,849 And just like that crew in the movies, everyone has a specialized role. 242 00:17:20,510 --> 00:17:24,569 Victor Arias, he was the second story guy. He was the guy going up on the roof 243 00:17:24,569 --> 00:17:26,510 and cutting the wires to the alarm system. 244 00:17:28,390 --> 00:17:32,770 Stasio, I would say, was the counter surveillance guy. He's driving around, 245 00:17:32,990 --> 00:17:35,070 keeping an eye out for law enforcement. 246 00:17:35,370 --> 00:17:36,750 He was able to use his badge. 247 00:17:37,290 --> 00:17:40,950 and talk to the cops and get over on the cops why he was there and what was 248 00:17:40,950 --> 00:17:45,830 going on. He was able to listen to the radio, understand radio codes, able to 249 00:17:45,830 --> 00:17:48,110 tip off the burglars that were on the way. 250 00:17:49,350 --> 00:17:52,410 Nicky Margiela was good at what he did. 251 00:17:52,670 --> 00:17:58,730 He was someone that had the ability to plan out these burglaries, to 252 00:17:58,730 --> 00:18:02,910 get a crew, to recruit other members, to carry them out. 253 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:07,440 So he is very similar to what you would consider a chief executive officer. 254 00:18:09,060 --> 00:18:14,380 And just like in the movies, every aspect of every heist is well planned. 255 00:18:16,240 --> 00:18:18,500 First task, reconnaissance. 256 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:24,240 The planning is key. We think they used the Internet to see what businesses were 257 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:28,120 located where, what type of product those businesses... 258 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:30,120 stored in their warehouses. 259 00:18:30,380 --> 00:18:33,560 They did the physical surveillance of the targets. 260 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:38,460 Could have been for weeks at a time. They'd get information from regular 261 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:41,360 It might be a receptionist at a doctor's office. 262 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:45,500 It might be, you know, them glancing, looking in an office, seeing a pile of 263 00:18:45,500 --> 00:18:49,700 money. And that would give them the idea to commit the burglary. 264 00:18:49,980 --> 00:18:54,080 Then they would do surveillance and check the place out. They would look for 265 00:18:54,080 --> 00:18:56,960 cameras. They'd look for security guards. 266 00:18:57,590 --> 00:19:00,130 They did their homework before they even attempted it. 267 00:19:01,690 --> 00:19:06,870 Second task, preparation, gathering the right tools for the job. 268 00:19:07,150 --> 00:19:08,890 They used pry bars. 269 00:19:09,130 --> 00:19:10,590 They used crowbars. 270 00:19:10,850 --> 00:19:17,730 They used hydraulic lifts, acetylene torches, dog snares, cellular 271 00:19:17,730 --> 00:19:22,130 telephone jamming device, pickaxes, jackhammers. 272 00:19:22,410 --> 00:19:25,250 Third task, neutralizing the target. 273 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:29,020 When they'd go do these burglaries, they would cut telephone lines. 274 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:31,140 They would cut the alarm. 275 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:36,500 That security system has a cell phone in it, so when the wires are cut, the cell 276 00:19:36,500 --> 00:19:41,200 phone will call the central station or call the police. They set up the cell 277 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:43,920 phone jammer, which stopped that call from going out. 278 00:19:44,140 --> 00:19:47,220 And then they would sit back and wait to see if law enforcement appeared. 279 00:19:48,260 --> 00:19:52,840 Final task, execution, where all the planning pays off. 280 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:58,740 We put a hydraulic jack in a door jam and used the hydraulic pressure to 281 00:19:58,740 --> 00:20:02,360 the jam and open the door. Not many burglars had that type of equipment. 282 00:20:02,620 --> 00:20:06,940 And they also had all the hand carts and everything to remove safes, safes 283 00:20:06,940 --> 00:20:10,860 weighing hundreds of pounds they were able to remove. They felt that they were 284 00:20:10,860 --> 00:20:13,660 above the law. They felt like they were not going to be caught. 285 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:18,320 And now they're ready for their biggest score yet. 286 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:20,180 Next on American Green. 287 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:26,660 They took 45 ,000 pairs of high -end sunglasses valued at in excess of $3 288 00:20:26,660 --> 00:20:32,380 million. But the higher the stakes, the higher the risk of a major mistake. 289 00:20:32,860 --> 00:20:35,060 And I'm thinking we've got them. 290 00:20:51,190 --> 00:20:55,690 Nikki Margiellos and Rafael Astacio have burglaries down to a science. 291 00:20:56,130 --> 00:21:01,030 Anything they could make money was an ideal target. They sold sunglasses, they 292 00:21:01,030 --> 00:21:03,170 sold cash, they sold cigarettes. 293 00:21:03,770 --> 00:21:08,030 Whatever they can lay their hands on and flip for extra money, they stole. 294 00:21:08,270 --> 00:21:09,830 They caused a lot of pain. 295 00:21:10,070 --> 00:21:13,310 They ransacked your business and take your money, then they steal from you, 296 00:21:13,310 --> 00:21:15,550 volley at your house, they GPS you to your house. 297 00:21:15,750 --> 00:21:17,110 It's got to be overwhelming. 298 00:21:18,060 --> 00:21:22,580 It was very hard every single day, I think about it. You know, you're angry, 299 00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:26,600 probably more angry than anything else. 300 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:29,480 But to this crew, none of that matters. 301 00:21:30,260 --> 00:21:32,940 In 2010, they are in their prime. 302 00:21:33,760 --> 00:21:38,600 Dr. Steven Greenberg is such a renowned plastic surgeon, he even has his own 303 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:39,600 radio show. 304 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:43,540 There are so many things that we can do to help people look younger. 305 00:21:43,770 --> 00:21:49,010 He is a surgeon to the stars, and anyone else looking for a little pick -me -up. 306 00:21:49,230 --> 00:21:52,950 Could be anywhere from a facelift, an eyelid lift, to a tummy tuck, or breast 307 00:21:52,950 --> 00:21:57,410 augmentation, or liposuction. It's whatever that patient wants and needs, 308 00:21:57,410 --> 00:22:01,810 into their own body and their own schedule. Having done their homework, 309 00:22:01,810 --> 00:22:03,490 burglary crew knows that Dr. 310 00:22:03,730 --> 00:22:06,750 Greenberg's practice on Long Island is a cash cow. 311 00:22:07,210 --> 00:22:08,950 You know, they used to get inside information. 312 00:22:09,210 --> 00:22:11,630 Dr. Greenberg, I mean, they knew he had money in the place. 313 00:22:19,980 --> 00:22:23,900 But even they can't anticipate how much money they'll find. 314 00:22:28,860 --> 00:22:33,180 $1 .9 million in cash. 315 00:22:35,220 --> 00:22:39,660 And with an NYPD detective on the team, they're just getting started. 316 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:45,780 Mr. Stassi had access to federal law enforcement databases and also public 317 00:22:45,780 --> 00:22:48,320 databases, which allowed him to do research. 318 00:22:48,750 --> 00:22:53,570 on potential victims, he'd be able to enter their information, find out where 319 00:22:53,570 --> 00:22:54,570 they lived. 320 00:22:55,410 --> 00:23:02,290 Estacio runs a check on Dr. Greenberg and finds he lives on a leafy street in 321 00:23:02,290 --> 00:23:05,410 upscale neighborhood less than two miles from the office. 322 00:23:05,750 --> 00:23:10,730 Just weeks after the crew steals nearly $2 million in cash from the doctor's 323 00:23:10,730 --> 00:23:14,170 office, they get a quarter million in property from his home. 324 00:23:14,710 --> 00:23:16,130 You're terribly violated. 325 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:18,240 And you know you're targeted. 326 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:21,420 It's not like a random burglary where they're going down the neighborhood and 327 00:23:21,420 --> 00:23:23,820 say, oh, we like this house. No, they came for you. 328 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:31,580 Veteran Long Island reporter Greg Sergel of WNBC -TV has covered Long Island law 329 00:23:31,580 --> 00:23:33,400 enforcement for more than 30 years. 330 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:39,980 It was almost like a test of will there between the ring of criminals and the 331 00:23:39,980 --> 00:23:45,220 guys that are responsible for stopping them. They weren't used to facing this 332 00:23:45,220 --> 00:23:49,960 kind of sophistication. This group employed counter -surveillance 333 00:23:50,340 --> 00:23:53,540 They'd speed up while we were following them. They'd stop. 334 00:23:53,820 --> 00:23:55,160 They'd make sharp turns. 335 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:59,900 They were trying to make our tail. Sometimes they did. We knew right away 336 00:23:59,900 --> 00:24:04,200 our everyday techniques would be ineffective against this crew. 337 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:09,540 So Lieutenant May asked Prosecutor Rick Whalen to seek a warrant for something 338 00:24:09,540 --> 00:24:14,640 normally unheard of in a burglary investigation, tapping the suspect's 339 00:24:15,100 --> 00:24:19,320 You have to go before a judge to get a court order to go up on a wiretap. It's 340 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:21,340 another level above regular investigation. 341 00:24:21,820 --> 00:24:26,860 I don't know that another burglary ring wiretap has been written in this county. 342 00:24:27,020 --> 00:24:32,390 And John May, every day in my office, I wouldn't get off my back for six months 343 00:24:32,390 --> 00:24:33,750 until this thing was written. 344 00:24:33,970 --> 00:24:36,410 He wouldn't stop. He wouldn't leave me alone. 345 00:24:37,570 --> 00:24:43,030 Not only must the wiretap pass muster with the courts, it must also be 346 00:24:43,030 --> 00:24:46,030 crafted to protect this crime ring in the act. 347 00:24:46,790 --> 00:24:51,910 I've written hundreds and hundreds of wiretap applications in my time. 348 00:24:52,390 --> 00:24:57,170 This was by far the most difficult wiretap application. 349 00:24:57,880 --> 00:25:00,540 That I've ever written. And it took me six months to write it. 350 00:25:01,500 --> 00:25:03,440 And there's no time to lose. 351 00:25:04,060 --> 00:25:07,440 Because Margie Ellos and Nastassio are feeling invincible. 352 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:11,440 The future's so bright, they've got to wear shades. 353 00:25:12,740 --> 00:25:18,080 Long Island -based Eye King manufactures and distributes the kind of sunglasses 354 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:19,760 athletes and models wear. 355 00:25:20,260 --> 00:25:23,860 Sunglasses that go for as much as $200 a pair. 356 00:25:25,230 --> 00:25:29,970 By the last weekend in April 2010, the warehouse is fully stocked for the 357 00:25:29,970 --> 00:25:33,010 season, and the crew is ready to make its move. 358 00:25:34,030 --> 00:25:38,910 It was the April 29th into April 30th of 2010. 359 00:25:39,510 --> 00:25:44,890 Staffio's job at that particular burglary scene was to provide counter 360 00:25:44,890 --> 00:25:48,850 surveillance. He spent three and a half hours driving around the location. 361 00:25:49,210 --> 00:25:52,470 That was a big job. Trucks and everything else, I think they had a big 362 00:25:52,470 --> 00:25:58,180 truck. Victor Arias climbed up the roof and moved all the security cameras and 363 00:25:58,180 --> 00:25:59,540 pointed them up into the sky. 364 00:26:01,660 --> 00:26:06,000 It was after that point that the other individuals entered the location. 365 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:10,940 They have experience doing this. They know how to do it. 366 00:26:12,540 --> 00:26:16,380 They had carts inside the warehouse. They loaded the carts up. 367 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:22,420 They loaded the truck. 368 00:26:23,820 --> 00:26:25,360 They went back, they got more. 369 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:30,760 The crew is in the warehouse until early the next morning. 370 00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:36,040 But with Rafael Estacio patrolling outside, no one is the wiser. 371 00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:39,580 The total take? 372 00:26:40,020 --> 00:26:42,720 45 ,000 pairs of sunglasses. 373 00:26:43,260 --> 00:26:44,800 The estimated value? 374 00:26:45,180 --> 00:26:46,780 Three million dollars. 375 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:49,460 There's just one thing. 376 00:26:50,540 --> 00:26:53,000 You steal all these eyeglasses, what do you... 377 00:26:53,210 --> 00:26:54,169 What do you do with them? 378 00:26:54,170 --> 00:26:55,930 Next, American Greed. 379 00:26:56,170 --> 00:27:00,990 Be careful what you wish for. The Long Island burglars have more inventory than 380 00:27:00,990 --> 00:27:03,530 they know what to do with. And that's a problem. 381 00:27:04,230 --> 00:27:09,250 Their transportation of those stolen sunglasses was a federal crime because 382 00:27:09,250 --> 00:27:10,250 crossed the line. 383 00:27:27,980 --> 00:27:34,700 By day, Rafael Astacio is a model cop with more than 500 arrests in nearly 20 384 00:27:34,700 --> 00:27:35,740 years on the job. 385 00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:40,200 By night, he is the linchpin of a prolific burglary crew. 386 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:43,880 He used what we know against us. 387 00:27:44,380 --> 00:27:48,120 But by 2012, something has to give. 388 00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:54,300 An NYPD internal investigation finds Astacio is slipping up on his day job, 389 00:27:54,600 --> 00:27:56,800 botching a sexual assault case. 390 00:27:57,420 --> 00:28:00,040 allowing a predator to remain at large. 391 00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:04,900 Meanwhile, the burglary crew has an inventory problem. 392 00:28:05,440 --> 00:28:12,240 They took 45 ,000 pairs of high -end sunglasses valued at in excess of $3 393 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:13,240 million. 394 00:28:14,120 --> 00:28:16,940 That's a tremendous score for this crew. 395 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:18,700 They saw that opportunity. 396 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:23,760 Unfortunately, the market, the illegal market for selling those sunglasses was 397 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:24,760 not as valuable. 398 00:28:25,719 --> 00:28:30,500 Unable to get the price he wants in New York, Nicky Margielos shops the 399 00:28:30,500 --> 00:28:32,460 sunglasses around online. 400 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:35,920 We began to see him on eBay. 401 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:41,680 And he has them driven to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida. It is a 402 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:42,680 mistake. 403 00:28:42,900 --> 00:28:48,060 Their transportation of those stolen sunglasses was a federal crime because 404 00:28:48,060 --> 00:28:49,100 crossed state lines. 405 00:28:49,380 --> 00:28:51,600 And I'm thinking, we've got them. 406 00:28:52,170 --> 00:28:57,350 For Nicky Martellos and Rafael Estacio, the walls are closing in, and the walls 407 00:28:57,350 --> 00:28:58,350 have ears. 408 00:28:58,550 --> 00:28:59,309 They occur. 409 00:28:59,310 --> 00:29:00,670 Right, but look at all the overlaps, John. 410 00:29:02,070 --> 00:29:04,110 Estacio, Arias, boom. 411 00:29:05,170 --> 00:29:10,730 In the spring of 2012, John May and Rick Whalen get court approval to begin 412 00:29:10,730 --> 00:29:12,690 tapping nine phone lines. 413 00:29:13,170 --> 00:29:17,670 The recordings are so sensitive they are still sealed by the courts. For 414 00:29:17,670 --> 00:29:20,850 investigators, the tale of the tapes is a turning point. 415 00:29:21,500 --> 00:29:26,620 We started to get relevant information, them talking about doing jobs. Well, you 416 00:29:26,620 --> 00:29:31,900 hear a lot about fishing, and I'm a fisherman, so to them, fishing was going 417 00:29:31,900 --> 00:29:38,540 burglaries. That earns the investigation a name. Operation Crook, Line, and 418 00:29:38,540 --> 00:29:39,540 Stinker. 419 00:29:40,560 --> 00:29:44,380 But the wiretaps have a far more important impact. 420 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:50,080 You could listen to them real time and keep up with them instead of 421 00:29:50,620 --> 00:29:53,100 We embedded ourselves in the neighborhood. We'd never move. 422 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:57,980 Now the police were about to land a big fish of their own. 423 00:29:58,240 --> 00:30:03,520 The wiretaps revealed that the crew plans to hit this home on a dead -end 424 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:04,560 in Lindenhurst. 425 00:30:06,220 --> 00:30:11,120 On the night of June 3rd, detectives are in position, including Lieutenant John 426 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:13,620 May, hiding in plain sight. 427 00:30:15,100 --> 00:30:17,860 Sergeant Sweeney and Detective Maranucci. 428 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:22,800 had the ball, which means they had the eye on the half. They had the car 429 00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:23,800 to the house. 430 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:27,920 They watched the car pull up. 431 00:30:28,940 --> 00:30:32,840 They watched two gentlemen get out of the car, go into the house. 432 00:30:35,980 --> 00:30:40,020 They saw the last van, first floor, second floor, back down to the first 433 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:41,320 come out to the car. 434 00:30:47,920 --> 00:30:52,240 The car takes off, and police make their move. 435 00:30:53,700 --> 00:30:58,940 With that, the hammers of hell came out in front of the crew, and they pulled 436 00:30:58,940 --> 00:31:00,120 out Rafael Estacio. 437 00:31:01,460 --> 00:31:06,360 Five years after he gave his first tips to the burglary crew, New York City 438 00:31:06,360 --> 00:31:10,760 Detective Rafael Estacio is under arrest for driving the getaway car. 439 00:31:10,980 --> 00:31:13,020 But he's ready with an alibi. 440 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:18,600 Without even asking, he blurted out, They paid me. They paid me $200 to drive 441 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:20,420 them. I don't know what they were doing. 442 00:31:21,060 --> 00:31:23,840 And, you know, I felt insulted. 443 00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:27,480 And I said to them, keep that story. That'll work for you. 444 00:31:27,980 --> 00:31:33,060 With Estacio under arrest, Prosecutor Rick Whalen moves fast to secure the 445 00:31:33,060 --> 00:31:37,760 evidence. He gets a warrant to search a storage locker that police have had 446 00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:39,440 under surveillance for months. 447 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:45,120 This is where the crew stored their various burglar's tools. 448 00:31:47,820 --> 00:31:52,520 Investigators find the burglary crew's vast arsenal of equipment, all neatly 449 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:54,740 arranged and ready for the next job. 450 00:31:55,460 --> 00:31:58,680 Whalen shows American Greed some of what they found. 451 00:31:59,060 --> 00:32:03,600 They like to use the throw -out phones. Here's a walkie -talkie. We have pry 452 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:05,520 bars. We have crowbars. 453 00:32:06,040 --> 00:32:07,620 There were masks, gloves. 454 00:32:08,020 --> 00:32:11,960 Hands were always covered, always concerned about leaving their 455 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:16,160 have here one of the cell phone jammers. I turn this on right now. 456 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:18,140 Your cell phones aren't going to work. 457 00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:23,600 Police have the equipment, and they have one of the major players. 458 00:32:24,020 --> 00:32:28,760 But the burglary crew and its leader, Nicky Margielos, are still at large. 459 00:32:30,020 --> 00:32:31,280 American Greed returns. 460 00:32:32,060 --> 00:32:34,600 Rafael Estacio faces a choice. 461 00:32:35,140 --> 00:32:38,220 I was trying to elicit his cooperation. 462 00:32:38,780 --> 00:32:42,200 I figured as a police officer, the worst place you're going to end up is jail. 463 00:32:42,670 --> 00:32:44,350 It's not a pretty place for a cop. 464 00:32:44,570 --> 00:32:50,210 See more of the Berkeley Crew's giant stash of tools at AmericanGreed .cnbc 465 00:32:50,210 --> 00:32:51,210 .com. 466 00:32:52,770 --> 00:32:54,890 Want inside information from the show? 467 00:32:55,330 --> 00:32:57,070 Join the Greed social network. 468 00:32:57,530 --> 00:33:00,110 Like us on American Greed's Facebook page. 469 00:33:00,570 --> 00:33:01,710 We'll be right back. 470 00:33:10,700 --> 00:33:15,300 New York City Detective Rafael Estacio has questioned hundreds of suspects in 471 00:33:15,300 --> 00:33:16,900 nearly 20 years on the job. 472 00:33:18,460 --> 00:33:20,540 Now the tables are turned. 473 00:33:21,420 --> 00:33:25,800 I said to him, you know, every prosecutor in this case is going to want 474 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:28,180 your head up at the podium and say, we got him. 475 00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:31,100 I said, it's in your best interest to cooperate. 476 00:33:31,540 --> 00:33:33,580 But Estacio won't flip. 477 00:33:34,040 --> 00:33:37,640 He was courteous. He referred to me as lieutenant and said, you know, I'm going 478 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:38,640 to speak to my attorney. 479 00:33:39,040 --> 00:33:44,780 The NYPD puts Astacio on desk duty, but his refusal to cooperate leaves 480 00:33:44,780 --> 00:33:46,440 investigators with a problem. 481 00:33:46,760 --> 00:33:49,880 We needed to keep that arrest quiet. 482 00:33:50,490 --> 00:33:54,650 Because we're up on phones, we're listening. We've only at that point 483 00:33:54,650 --> 00:33:57,230 off a few of the crew members. 484 00:33:57,530 --> 00:34:00,650 So we need to stay up on these phones to get the other crew members. 485 00:34:01,150 --> 00:34:03,310 And for a time, it works. 486 00:34:03,630 --> 00:34:09,370 We felt from conversations that we'd been intercepting following his arrest 487 00:34:09,370 --> 00:34:12,949 the targets of our investigation didn't have the slightest idea we were 488 00:34:12,949 --> 00:34:13,949 listening to them. 489 00:34:14,469 --> 00:34:16,110 That is about to change. 490 00:34:16,810 --> 00:34:18,850 We're 21 days into this. 491 00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:20,860 wiretapping investigation. 492 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:23,199 These people are arrested. 493 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:29,540 We're trying to keep it quiet so that we can go up on other phones or identify 494 00:34:29,540 --> 00:34:31,659 and arrest the other members of the crew. 495 00:34:32,060 --> 00:34:36,659 But a New York City detective arrested for burglary is not something that stays 496 00:34:36,659 --> 00:34:37,920 quiet for long. 497 00:34:38,400 --> 00:34:42,880 I came in and there on the front page of the New York Daily News was my 498 00:34:42,880 --> 00:34:43,880 investigation. 499 00:34:44,600 --> 00:34:48,080 On June 26th, the word is out in a big way. 500 00:34:48,639 --> 00:34:53,239 Tabloid headlines blare that Rafael Astacio is a dirtbag detective. 501 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:55,300 And that's not all. 502 00:34:56,120 --> 00:34:58,300 I was shocked. Absolutely shocked. 503 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:00,820 The biggest secret of all is revealed. 504 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:04,240 That police have been bugging the burglars' phones. 505 00:35:05,220 --> 00:35:06,660 They read the news. 506 00:35:06,920 --> 00:35:12,680 They hear from their friends. Hey, you guys are targets. These targets, Margie 507 00:35:12,680 --> 00:35:13,680 Ellison, they went underground. 508 00:35:14,830 --> 00:35:19,890 With the trail suddenly cold, authorities focus on building the case 509 00:35:19,890 --> 00:35:21,970 have. There is plenty of evidence. 510 00:35:22,450 --> 00:35:26,970 The crew has been unable to find a buyer for the $3 million worth of sunglasses 511 00:35:26,970 --> 00:35:29,890 they stole, so they divvy up the loot. 512 00:35:30,510 --> 00:35:33,870 Rafael Estacio knows exactly what to do with his share. 513 00:35:34,350 --> 00:35:38,110 For years, he's played on the NYPD baseball team. 514 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:40,720 Baseball players often wear sunglasses. 515 00:35:41,120 --> 00:35:46,380 So we went and we found who was on his team, and the FBI and the police 516 00:35:46,380 --> 00:35:48,620 department and the IRS went out and interviewed those folks. 517 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:54,840 And a number of them had remembered that Mr. Astacio had a number of these high 518 00:35:54,840 --> 00:35:59,900 -end Hobie Under Armour sunglasses at different baseball games. 519 00:36:02,410 --> 00:36:07,390 Meanwhile, Nicky Martellos and the rest of the crew can't afford to just go out 520 00:36:07,390 --> 00:36:08,390 of business. 521 00:36:08,770 --> 00:36:11,890 Criminals are criminals, okay? 522 00:36:12,390 --> 00:36:16,350 So it was only a matter of time they were going to be back out there doing 523 00:36:16,350 --> 00:36:17,350 they do best. 524 00:36:17,690 --> 00:36:21,910 Knowing that the heat is on on Long Island, the crew branches out to nearby 525 00:36:21,910 --> 00:36:23,010 Westchester County. 526 00:36:23,650 --> 00:36:26,510 But the FBI has eyes in the sky. 527 00:36:27,410 --> 00:36:30,470 We were trying to surveil them going up to Westchester. 528 00:36:31,120 --> 00:36:32,120 And that was brutal. 529 00:36:32,180 --> 00:36:37,080 Going over the bridge and traffic and everything else, the FBI was able to 530 00:36:37,080 --> 00:36:39,220 assist us in aerial surveillance with that. 531 00:36:39,460 --> 00:36:41,880 And that's not Nicky's only problem. 532 00:36:42,700 --> 00:36:47,780 While Rafael Astacio is still refusing to cooperate with authorities, he's out 533 00:36:47,780 --> 00:36:49,480 of the burglary business as well. 534 00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:54,960 And without his secret weapon, it's only a matter of time before Nicky Margielos 535 00:36:54,960 --> 00:36:55,960 hits a dead end. 536 00:36:57,740 --> 00:37:03,520 Up next, a $10 million crime ring exposed. 537 00:37:03,860 --> 00:37:07,580 But Nicky Margielos won't go down without a fight. 538 00:37:07,780 --> 00:37:12,100 Mr. Margielos put himself above all else. 539 00:37:26,990 --> 00:37:32,170 In the fall of 2013, authorities are finally ready to make their move on a 540 00:37:32,170 --> 00:37:35,890 burglary crew that has been terrorizing Long Islanders for years. 541 00:37:36,750 --> 00:37:40,890 Unlike the Hollywood crew, these guys don't get away with it. 542 00:37:41,170 --> 00:37:45,390 The Ocean's Eleven guys, that's in the movies. They didn't have the FBI, the 543 00:37:45,390 --> 00:37:49,630 IRS, and then the Haskell County Police Department investigating them. 544 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:54,780 Federal prosecutors unveil an indictment of five suspects for interstate 545 00:37:54,780 --> 00:37:56,780 transportation of stolen property. 546 00:37:57,220 --> 00:38:03,200 They include Victor Arias, the second story guy, New York City Police 547 00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:07,480 Rafael Astacio, and ringleader Nikki Margielos. 548 00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:11,320 None would agree to be interviewed by American Greed. 549 00:38:12,760 --> 00:38:17,880 WNBC Long Island reporter Greg Circle attends an unusual news conference. 550 00:38:18,780 --> 00:38:24,380 There was a whole room filled with burglars' tools and radios and GPS 551 00:38:24,520 --> 00:38:28,520 and I remember going in there and thinking, what is going on here? 552 00:38:28,800 --> 00:38:33,620 These are professional burglars. Along with the tools, prosecutors unveil state 553 00:38:33,620 --> 00:38:38,800 burglary charges against Nicky Margielos, plus four additional 554 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:41,300 They're said to have dubbed the burglaries phishing. 555 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:45,680 and investigators say they were armed with more than just everyday rods and 556 00:38:45,680 --> 00:38:52,080 reels. There's organized crime out here, and we see drug operations, but this 557 00:38:52,080 --> 00:38:55,540 was one of the most unusual cases you'll ever see out here. 558 00:38:55,780 --> 00:38:59,580 Victor Arias pleads guilty to transporting stolen property. 559 00:38:59,800 --> 00:39:04,780 He is sentenced to four and a half years in a prison that's three stories tall. 560 00:39:06,100 --> 00:39:11,120 Rafael Astacio, now under federal indictment, is fired from the NYPD. 561 00:39:11,580 --> 00:39:18,280 He is just three days shy of 20 years on the job and eligibility for an $80 ,000 562 00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:19,460 a year pension. 563 00:39:20,510 --> 00:39:26,070 What he did during this conspiracy was disgraceful. He used law enforcement 564 00:39:26,070 --> 00:39:32,630 databases. He used his badge to try to get out of a burglary. He needed to be 565 00:39:32,630 --> 00:39:36,770 held accountable for victimizing people and using that position of trust. 566 00:39:37,070 --> 00:39:42,850 In 2014, Nastasio pleads guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport stolen 567 00:39:42,850 --> 00:39:46,710 property and one count of filing a false income tax return. 568 00:39:47,390 --> 00:39:52,490 Facing as much as eight years in prison, he asked the judge to go easy on him, 569 00:39:52,590 --> 00:39:54,310 citing his career as a cop. 570 00:39:54,650 --> 00:39:59,230 The work I produce spoke volumes for myself and for my family, he writes. 571 00:39:59,490 --> 00:40:02,770 I ask that you please be lenient with my sentencing. 572 00:40:03,050 --> 00:40:04,770 The judge is unmoved. 573 00:40:05,050 --> 00:40:10,150 He sentences Astacio to six years in prison to reflect the harm to the 574 00:40:10,150 --> 00:40:12,530 and to send a message to police officers. 575 00:40:13,250 --> 00:40:16,210 Astacio sues the NYPD to get his pension back. 576 00:40:16,960 --> 00:40:18,220 But the case is dismissed. 577 00:40:18,660 --> 00:40:24,440 He threw away a lifetime of security for quick money. 578 00:40:24,860 --> 00:40:29,460 Nicky Margielos pleads guilty to a single count of transporting stolen 579 00:40:29,820 --> 00:40:34,380 Mr. Margielos had, years before, faced the same exact charges. 580 00:40:34,740 --> 00:40:40,420 Margielos writes a letter to the court blaming alcohol, drugs, gambling, and 581 00:40:40,420 --> 00:40:42,440 2008 financial crisis. 582 00:40:43,790 --> 00:40:47,110 My business failed no matter how hard I worked, he writes. 583 00:40:47,430 --> 00:40:51,670 Instead of doing the right thing, I began to gamble, drink, and commit 584 00:40:51,930 --> 00:40:53,690 I cracked under Precker. 585 00:40:54,190 --> 00:40:57,330 But as a repeat offender, he is sentenced to the maximum. 586 00:40:58,310 --> 00:40:59,970 Ten years in prison. 587 00:41:00,350 --> 00:41:01,350 He got what he deserved. 588 00:41:01,610 --> 00:41:06,470 He had an opportunity the first time to rehabilitate himself, and he chose not 589 00:41:06,470 --> 00:41:09,310 to. So there's no sympathy for him. 590 00:41:10,190 --> 00:41:15,830 I think everyone has a choice. I think you have the choice to go and, like most 591 00:41:15,830 --> 00:41:21,190 Americans and most hardworking Long Islanders, get up and go to work and 592 00:41:21,190 --> 00:41:24,250 honest living. I think he felt this was easier. 593 00:41:24,930 --> 00:41:29,650 Having brought down a crime ring he pursued for 10 years, Lieutenant John 594 00:41:29,650 --> 00:41:34,590 retires from the Nassau County Police Department soon after Rafael Estacio's 595 00:41:34,590 --> 00:41:36,810 arrest. It was a great way to go out. 596 00:41:38,590 --> 00:41:39,910 Not in a rocking chair. 597 00:41:40,970 --> 00:41:46,470 In all, five people plead guilty in the federal stolen property case, and nine 598 00:41:46,470 --> 00:41:51,230 plead guilty to state charges including burglary and grand larceny. I guess we 599 00:41:51,230 --> 00:41:52,230 don't like to lose. 600 00:41:52,270 --> 00:41:56,850 I mean, imagine being a victim of a residential burglary. Somebody goes into 601 00:41:56,850 --> 00:42:02,390 your house, they take your stuff, your personal stuff. I mean, that causes a 602 00:42:02,390 --> 00:42:03,009 of pain. 603 00:42:03,010 --> 00:42:04,810 We had to stop that. 604 00:42:05,150 --> 00:42:10,010 Even now, business owner Mike Longo says he will never be the same. 605 00:42:10,330 --> 00:42:16,790 I guess you just look at everything more as protected, you know. So 606 00:42:16,790 --> 00:42:20,810 everything that you do, every time I come into this building these days, 607 00:42:20,810 --> 00:42:24,490 still looking over both shoulders. You're making sure everything's safe 608 00:42:24,490 --> 00:42:26,190 you decide to go into the building. 609 00:42:26,410 --> 00:42:30,490 He has put bars on the windows and put in a new security system. 610 00:42:30,960 --> 00:42:36,320 But he longs for a time before a ring of thieves stole his trust. 611 00:42:36,600 --> 00:42:40,460 They didn't care about a single person. They couldn't look at themselves in the 612 00:42:40,460 --> 00:42:45,060 mirror ever and say, I'm a good person, I'm a good father, I'm a good brother, 613 00:42:45,200 --> 00:42:46,200 I'm a good whatever. 614 00:42:46,440 --> 00:42:48,340 They were just bad people.