Toilet Parts Stolen From Astoria Burger King, Other Fast Food Joints in Queens Theft Scheme

A Burger King at 33-10 Astoria Blvd., where a man allegedly stole parts from the restroom’s toilets. (Google Maps)

Jan. 2, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan

A man who allegedly ran a Queens-wide scheme stealing toilet parts from fast food restaurants and whose targets included an Astoria Boulevard Burger King is now facing a string of burglary charges after he was arrested days ago.

Richard Mirabile, a 44-year-old from Congers in upstate, was arrested on Dec. 28 and charged with criminal mischief, burglary and more for stealing toilet flush fixtures from eight fast food restaurants over a series of weeks beginning in late November.

Mirabile, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, was seen either by an individual or on video surveillance making a beeline for the restrooms Astoria, Ridgewood, and Flushing fast food locales, among other places.

Working quickly, he would emerge just minutes later with a bag allegedly filled with toilet flush fixtures, valued at approximately $250 a piece.

Mirabile first hit a Wendy’s in Ridgewood on Nov. 23, where surveillance video showed him exiting the men’s bathrooms with a full bag in hand.

The store manager later entered the restroom and noticed that the automatic flushing fixtures on the toilet and urinal were missing.

The alleged thief then hit the Burger King at 33-10 Astoria Blvd. on Dec. 7, where he was seen entering the restroom with a shoulder bag.

Mirabile apparently spent no more than 10 minutes in the Burger King restroom before leaving the restaurant with a bag filled with flushing fixtures from the men’s toilet and urinal.

Restrooms at Arby’s and Wendy’s in Middle Village also saw stolen toilet parts days after the Burger King theft, along with two Flushing area eateries hit on the same day on Dec. 26.

While Mirabile managed to steal and even return to the fast food franchises he targeted in his month-long scheme, he was eventually nabbed on Dec. 28, when he returned to the Astoria Burger King to repeat the same theft, the Queens DA said.

His bail was set at $25,000 and he will appear back in court on Jan. 9.