Man Stole From Upper East Side Church Donation Box, Police Say

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A man is facing charges for stealing from the poor by fishing charity money out of an Upper East Side church's donation box, police and prosecutors told Patch.

Angelo Roman, 35, was arrested last week after he was seen tinkering with the donation box at the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer on Lexington Avenue near East 65th Street, police told Patch. Roman was standing next the the box Wednesday afternoon and "moving his hands in an up and down manner," according to a criminal complaint from the Manhattan District Attorney's office.

A church employee saw Roman and thought he was trying to break into the box, so he contacted police, according to the criminal complaint.

And officer from the 19th NYPD precinct tracked Roman down and arrested him near the church around 4 p.m Wednesday, police told Patch. During the arrest, four envelopes containing donations and a check for $100 were recovered from Roman's possessions, according to a criminal complaint. Police also found metal wires with tape on them, tweezers and a pair of scissors on Roman, according to the DA's office.

Roman was charged with burglary, petit larceny, criminal mischief and possession of burglar's tools, according to a criminal complaint. He is currently being held on $2,500 cash bail and $5,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court next on Aug. 15, a spokeswoman for the Manhattan District Attorney's office told Patch.

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