Nov. 18, 2019 By Kristen Torres
Three men involved in a burglary scheme targeting elderly homeowners across the borough were sentenced to prison Friday, according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office.
Michael Stacker, 55, Michael Miller, 51 and Robert Migule, 70, received sentences between 3 ½ to 6 years in prison after pleading guilty last month to second-degree burglary.
The men targeted elderly female homeowners in Long Island City and College Point in February. They posed as “water department” employees in order to gain access to the homes, according to acting District Attorney John Ryan.
“The defendants saw these elderly ladies as easy marks—residents they could con into gaining them access to their homes so they could steal cash and other valuables,” Ryan said.
In one instance, Miller approached the home of an 84-year-old Long Island City woman. He told the woman he had been working next door and needed to check her home’s water pressure.
Once inside, he told the resident to keep tabs on the kitchen’s water pressure while he checked out the rest of the home, according to the DA’s Office. He came back to the kitchen in about five minutes and then exited.
The woman noticed that two locked safety deposit boxes had been pried open and rummaged through although nothing was taken.
In another instance, Stacker and Migule appeared at the doorstep of a 79-year-old woman’s College Point residence. The men also announced they were with the “water department” and needed access inside to make sure her water wasn’t poisoned.
After distracting the homeowner, Stacker and Migule rummaged through the home, taking $300 in cash.
“I urge everyone, especially senior citizens, to always be diligent when someone comes knocking,” Ryan said. “Always check credentials and call utilities if you are the least bit suspicious.”
Stacker was sentenced to six years in prison, Miller to five years and Migule to three-and-a-half.
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