You are reading

Armored Truck Driver Caught Stealing $1.6 Million in Cash

July 27, 2018 By Tara Law

An armored truck driver from Queens faces up to 25 years in prison for allegedly stealing more than $1.6 million in cash from a vehicle in Long Island City that he’d been hired to protect.

The driver, 37-year-old Howard Beach resident Riguerson Avril, allegedly pilfered the funds from a security service truck at GardaWorld’s 45th Avenue facility on July 23, according to the Queens District Attorney’s office.

Avril was arraigned on Wednesday and released under supervision. He was charged with first and second degree grand larceny and first and second degree possession of stolen property.

Avril was caught on surveillance video at 10:00 p.m. taking a bag from a pallet and kicking it under a delivery truck at the 5-26 45th Ave. facility, according to the Queens District Attorney’s office said. The bag allegedly contained $1.6 million.

He then went back for the bag and brought it to the vehicle’s cab, where he covered it with a rain jacket.

He then moved the bag into his personal car, ripped the bag open and put the money in a suitcase. He later gave a friend the suitcase for safekeeping, according to the District Attorney’s office.

All but $10,000 of the stolen cash was later recovered in Philadelphia.

email the author: news@queenspost.com

2 Comments

Click for Comments 
MRLIC

Did the robber have orange skin? Trump may need the money to pay more playmates’ hush money.

4
13
Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

MTA opens three new modernized elevators at the Queens Plaza subway station in Long Island City

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced the opening of three new modernized elevators at the Queens Plaza E/M/R subway station in Long Island City earlier this month as part of a larger accessibility and safety upgrades throughout the transit system.

The work included a full replacement of the cab and equipment within the cab, shaft and pit, along with two new elevator head houses located at street level. Crews also made modifications to the shaft and pit as needed to allow for new equipment. The elevator machine room and electrical and mechanical equipment received replacements and other modernization efforts for reliability.

Queens Together launches ‘Unofficial US Open Dining Guide’ encouraging fans to sample restaurants along the 7 line

Aug. 20, 2025 By Shane O’Brien

The US Open returns to Flushing Meadows Corona Park this Sunday, with more than 1 million attendees anticipated to take mass transit to the iconic annual tennis event. With hundreds of thousands of fans set to take the 7 out to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, there is a world of delicious local eateries lying beneath the elevated train tracks should any fan wish to stop en-route to the US Open.

Can Queens’ food scene thrive with both trucks and restaurants?

Aug. 19, 2025 By Jessica Militello

In Jackson Heights at 4 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon, Roosevelt Avenue is buzzing with energy as commuters file in and out of subway cars and onto the street and cars and trucks grapple to get down the busy road. The street is filled with rows of shops and restaurants, along with food carts, street vendors and food trucks along the avenue. The almost-but-not-quite the weekend lag leaves hungry commuters faced with another choice to make throughout their day and the array of food truck options in busy areas like Jackson Heights offers customers convenience and delicious food without breaking the bank, two features that can feel vital, particularly with rising costs of living and pressure from inflation.