New York – Police Catch Diamond Cutter Wanted Since 1989

    28

    New York – A jewel thief accused of stealing $30,000 to $35,000 in diamonds from a Yorktown store as part of a multi-state crime spree was finally caught after 18 years on the run, police said today.

    Join our WhatsApp group

    Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email


    Moshe Tsitsaushivili, 41, a skilled diamond cutter who had spent several years in Israel and Australia, was arrested last week after trying to cross the U.S.-Canadian border into Buffalo and taken back to Westchester to face justice, Westchester County police spokesman Kieran O’Leary said.

    He is due in Westchester County Court on Oct. 1.

    He was wanted in Westchester on a grand-larceny warrant accusing him of scamming a Yorktown jeweler in late 1989. He allegedly committed similar crimes in Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio before the Yorktown heist, and police in all those states also have warrants for his arrest.

    His tactic was to tell jewelers that he had recently arrived in this country from Israel. He offered to work for little or no pay for a few days on a trial basis to demonstrate his skills, according to security officials in the jewelry industry, O’Leary said.

    “Because of his skills he would quickly impress the jewelers with his ability,” O’Leary said. “After a few hours, he would go out for lunch – and never return. The jewelers would then discover they were missing some of their diamonds.”

    Tsitsaushivili, originally from Georgia in the former Soviet Union, had been living in Queens at the time of the Yorktown crime. He became a fugitive in 1990. He left Israel for Canada in July and lived in Toronto before trying to re-enter the United States using a forged Israeli passport last week, O’Leary said.

    Westchester detectives were alerted Wednesday and went to the Erie County Detention Center to take custody of him. He is being held without bail at the Westchester County jail on a felony third-degree grand larceny charge. Federal authorities also have a detainer warrant for his arrest, O’Leary said.


    Listen to the VINnews podcast on:

    iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Podbean | Amazon

    Follow VINnews for Breaking News Updates


    Connect with VINnews

    Join our WhatsApp group


    28 Comments
    Most Voted
    Newest Oldest
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments
    lebediger
    lebediger
    15 years ago

    suf ganev litliya

    he can send in a aplication to laasirim to get help in jail

    Joseph
    Joseph
    15 years ago

    Does he get accepted into the Yeshiva of Otisville for this type of crime?

    ex frummie
    ex frummie
    15 years ago

    Honestly -if he was frum would you have written his full name ?

    FinVeeNemtMenSeichel
    FinVeeNemtMenSeichel
    15 years ago

    Joseph ive noticed you don’t miss a chance to bash the klal as a whole. get a life. this is one bad guy. congratulations on being perfect; not everyone can be the same as you.

    gabby
    gabby
    15 years ago

    stop laughing and doven for a yishuv daas and help from hashem ….

    letz!
    letz!
    15 years ago

    poor guy – lol

    Joseph
    Joseph
    15 years ago

    I don’t consider liars and thieves sitting in Club Fed “bashing the klal as a whole”. If that’s what you think, I’d hate to be involved in your “klal”.

    freeda
    freeda
    15 years ago

    what happened to INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY and why is it nesesary to mention his name before he is found guilty? Isnt this out right loshin hora?

    Realist
    Realist
    15 years ago

    Though I usually vehemently disagree with Ex-frummie, I have to agree with him this time.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    After 18 yrs they still wanted to get him. They should do it for sexual offenders too… What is statute of limitations for anyway?

    Anonymousyossel
    Anonymousyossel
    15 years ago

    he is innocent? maybe

    why is he using a false passport?

    in all cases they claim he robbed why did he say where he is from?

    he for sure wants to do tsuvah and return to all the store tha money that was the reason he came to the states?

    Moishe Zichmach
    Moishe Zichmach
    15 years ago

    HOW did they nab him? What gave him away? Are the Americans trained on identifying forged israeli passports?

    Lock & Load
    Lock & Load
    15 years ago

    The sad part of this is, at the time in 1990 if he would have givin himself up he would have had to pay a minor fine and 1 1/2 years in Jail…

    Now the past 18 years he was on the run Living worried when and if they will catch him and got caught…

    Now he will pay and be in Prison for about 1 1/2 years

    This for $35,000.00

    How Silly

    Lock & Load

    Enough
    Enough
    15 years ago

    To L & L,

    If you would have carefully read the article, you would realize that its far more than $35,000. He is wanted in several other states for other theft charges. Stupid guy!

    OK, so now we B”H have one writer stating the loshon hara angle. I’m waiting for the M’Kamcha Yisroel lady to write. I’m sure you can fit this in somewhere. Please dont disappoint me!

    Homey
    Homey
    15 years ago

    Finvee

    What kind of idiot are you that your sticking up for this dirtbag? I hope someone rips YOU off and you then say “well no one is perfect!”

    Letz
    Letz
    15 years ago

    He was a skilled diamond cutter. Me Ke’amcha Yisroel!

    formely
    formely
    15 years ago

    wow, how come nobody is making silly excuses and say must be antisemitic, or saying and like Freeda

    says and ex frummie says. Why only when the accused is a frummie. I do not get it, are their different halachoes if the person is frum and the person isn’t? Why publish his name maybe he has children of marrying age.

    At least the some of us are consistent whether the accused is frum or not

    Joseph
    Joseph
    15 years ago

    Formerly said: Why only when the accused is a frummie. I do not get it, are their different halachoes if the person is frum and the person isn’t?

    It’s really very simple: If you keep the halachos, then the halachos apply to you. If not, you’re no different than anyone on the street. Think of it as a club: If you’re a member, then you get the rules and perks. If you’re not, you don’t.

    The Torah isn’t something for you to use for your convenience when it’s good for you.

    FinVeeNemtMenSeichel
    FinVeeNemtMenSeichel
    15 years ago

    joseph you know what you are? a cliche – that’s what. you bore me, frankly.

    Anon
    Anon
    15 years ago

    Since this man is not guily yet, it is usser to talk loshon hora on him. (even when he is guilty it is always usser to talk loshon hora when the talk has no purpose, check out chofetz chaim 7 tenuim when you could talk loshon hora)

    and to all self hating jews: why dont you find a different site to post your comments?? this is ridiculous an orthodox site and all you see is jews hating jews??? Rosh Hoshana is next week. PLEASE STOP THIS, its getting awful

    formely
    formely
    15 years ago

    the issue of loshan hora and all the other stuff is on the person who is saying it, writing it. loshan hora to speak bad about a Jew, applies
    whether the Jew is religious or not. The usser is on the speaker.

    As far if someone is a self hating Jew it all depends how one looks at things. Many could accuse the heridim who are against Israel and or Zionism as self hating Jews too.

    Joseph
    Joseph
    15 years ago

    Formerly, you are incorrect. If the one spoken about is not “Oseh Ma’aseh Amcha”, then Loshon Hora doesn’t apply to him and it’s not forbidden for the speaker to say it.

    formely
    formely
    15 years ago

    not sure what this means

    “Oseh Ma’aseh Amcha”

    BMG_KTLR
    BMG_KTLR
    15 years ago

    Please let the justice system work. Do not say unkind words.

    LukshinHora
    LukshinHora
    15 years ago

    Lets wait until all the facts come out. Maybe he has a good reason to be a big gonniff.

    LukshinHora
    LukshinHora
    15 years ago

    Maybe he robbed Pinchus to pay Pinenah.

    ex frummie
    ex frummie
    15 years ago

    Joseph- Thats hypocritical and completely retarded-who are you to judge whos keamcha ? is the (hypothetical) guy ripping off millions of dollars considered keamcha because he wears a black hat?

    (Obviously my issue is not with the lashon hara but with the hypocrisy in applying the din of lashon hara only to certain hat wearers)

    …………….Why i even bother to reason with a self delusional moron is beyond me but whatever

    simcha
    simcha
    15 years ago

    these comments are more interesting than the original story!!!