Former Nanuet Store Employee Gets State Prison For Thefts

A former employee of a Nanuet store has been sentenced to 2 to 4 years in state prison for a series of thefts from the store.

Jorge DeLaCruz, 31, of 16 Bivona Lane, New Windsor, was sentenced by acting state Supreme Court Justice William K. Nelson after his conviction on a charge of fourth-degree grand larceny for thefts from the PC Richard and Son store on Route 59.

DeLaCruz was charged with stealing various items from April 20 to May 2, 2010, with the thefts captured on video, according to Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Zugibe.

DeLaCruz worked as a sales associate at P.C. Richard and Son. Zugibe said DeLaCruz stole several high-priced electronic items, including a Hewlett-Packard notebook computer, a 40-inch Samsung television and a Frigidaire air conditioner.

Zugibe said DeLaCruz came under scrutiny by store security after the P.C. Richard inventory control manager noticed a discrepancy between sales records, open orders and the in-stock supply of a specific HP laptop. A review of surveillance video footage by store security showed DeLaCruz removing the computer from a secure location, hiding it in the showroom for several hours, and then leaving the store - with the item in a bag - without paying for it, Zugibe said.

Additional review of in-store surveillance footage captured DeLaCruz stealing other big-ticket merchandise on other days. On each occasion, DeLaCruz was working his regular shift, and was seen walking from the store with an unknown man, Zugibe said.