A Romanian couple alleged to have stolen necklaces off the necks of unsuspecting victims are in immigration custody after a lengthy investigation by local authorities in New York.
The suspects, Rudi Lacatusu and Mirabela Lacatusu, were arrested Oct. 5 by police in Nassau County, New York, and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
They each face three counts of grand larceny after a series of jewelry thefts in which they asked innocent people for directions and stole necklaces from around their necks, police said.
A DOZEN+ JEWELRY THEFTS OVER 4 STATES— illegal aliens Rudi Lacatusu, 28, and Mirabela Lacatusu, 26, are accused of carrying out at least 14 jewelry thefts across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maryland, with stolen necklaces valued between $2,000 and $3,000…
— Kenn Reinhardt (@KennReinhardt) October 14, 2026
Both suspects entered the United States illegally at an unknown time and location, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said.
“This ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ illegal alien couple from Romania has been charged with grand larceny after allegedly carrying out more than a dozen jewelry thefts across four states,” Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said. “Thanks to local partners in New York, these illegal aliens are in ICE custody and will be removed from our country.”
The suspects carried out at least 14 robberies in the Tri-State Area, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maryland, according to police, and they believe there could be more victims.
The stolen necklaces were valued between $2,000 and $3,000 each.
Mirabela Lacatusu, 26, and Rudi Lacatusu, 28, gave an address of Ontario, New York, and allegedly stole necklaces from several elderly victims, CBS News New York reported.
Nassau Police posted a video showing a reenactment of their alleged scheme.
According to Nassau County police, the pair would drive up to their victims and pretend like they needed directions.
They would pull over and then Mirabela Lacatusu would exit the vehicle to thank the victim, expressing her gratitude by giving them a hug, police said.
While her arms were around the victim, she would unclasp their necklace and take it, get back in the vehicle and then the pair would drive away.
“If some stranger’s coming out of the car and they want to give you a hug, that’s a no no,” Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said, per CBS News.
In some cases, the alleged thieves would put a cheaper necklace around the victim’s neck and take the expensive one.
“They asked me for directions to a supermarket, and they thanked me so much and the woman said, ‘I want to give you something,’” one victim told CBS News New York. “And the man said, ‘It’s our custom, so please take it or you will offend her.’ And she put a necklace around my neck, and apparently, she took mine. And I didn’t notice it until I was finishing gardening.”
Unlike other sanctuary jurisdictions in the state, the Nassau County Police turned the Lacatusus over to ICE custody following their arrest.
“They’ll be returned back to Romania,” Ryder told CBS News.
The Romanian nationals were arrested just days after an off-duty New York City Police Department detective was stabbed multiple times in another apparent robbery attempt by illegal immigrants.
The suspects, Sneider Mejia Bautista, 24, and D’Angelo Rafael Jean Caraballo, 25, are Dominican nationals who entered the United States illegally. They both had multiple prior arrests and were released by local authorities, DHS officials said.
According to various reports, the two men tried to take Detective Jose Mercedes’ gold chain and he fought back, even chasing after the suspects for several blocks.
The attack occurred Oct. 2 in the Bronx’s Norwood neighborhood. The suspects were located and arrested Oct. 7 in Lynn, Massachusetts, by NYPD detectives and the U.S. Marshals Service.
DHS officials have railed against New York Gov. Kathy Hochul for protecting illegal immigrants and allowing the state to become a hotbed of illegal alien crime. The department recapped a dozen heinous crimes in a recent news release.
“If it were up to sanctuary politicians like Governor Kathy Hochul, these criminals would be back on the streets to rob more Americans,” Mullin said of the Lacatusus. “The brave men and women of ICE are working hard every day to remove illegal aliens like these thieves from our country.”
