Behind the Blotter: Tenant takes $6K in jewelry; nanny goes on a $16K shopping spree

August 13, 2010
by Christine Yeres

Two Arrests:
• Tenant makes off with $6,000 in jewelry
• Shopping spree for nanny with stolen credit cards

Tenant makes off with $6,000 in jewelry

On July 27, 2010, a resident of Chappaqua reported to New Castle Police that she had discovered that $6,000 worth of her jewelry had been stolen, she suspected, by Patrick Mazzullo of Sanibel, Florida, who rented a room in her house. After investigating, police arrested Mazzullo on August 9, 2010, at his place of employment and charged him with 3rd Degree Grand Larceny, a class D felony.

Mazzullo was arraigned in New Castle then was sent to Westchester County Jail on $10,000 bail. He faces charges of possession of stolen property in New Rochelle as well, where he attempted to pawn some of the jewelry.  In New Castle town court last night, Mazzullo whispered to his lawyer that he was in need of four mental health-related medications while in jail, as well as Lisinopril for high blood pressure. The lawyer passed on the request to Judge David Zuckerman, who noted Mazzullo’s need for the prescription medications in his written record. Mazzullo will return to New Castle town court on September 2, 2010.

Some of the jewelry was recovered.

Shopping spree for nanny with stolen credit cards

Thursday at 10:00 a.m. New Castle Police traveled to Bedford, N.Y., to arrest Brazilian national Prisila Pereira, a 20 year old nanny to a Chappaqua family. Pereira took one credit card from her employer around July 1 and a second on July 12. Between July 2 and 13, she went on a shopping spree with the stolen credit cards, assuming her employer’s identity in using them.  Pereira charged $16,000 worth of merchandise in towns across Westchester and in Danbury, Connecticut.

When police arrested her at her home in Bedford, the prosecutor told Judge David Zuckerman, Pereira made statements fully confessing her stolen credit card activity. At the time of Pereira’s arrest, she was no longer employed by the family.

Pereira was charged with identity theft in the first degree, a class D felony and 4th Degree Grand Larceny, a class E felony. She was arraigned in New Castle town court and sent to Westchester County Jail on $20,000 bail.

Pereira appeared before Justice Zuckerman last night in New Castle town court.  The prosecutor asked the judge for a temporary order of protection for the family for whom Pereira had worked.  Judge Zuckerman emphasized with Pereira that the temporary restraining order was “a full stay-away,” from mother, father and children of the family. She will appear in court again on August 19.

Click HERE to find this week’s blotter.