Where's our car? Bronx group rages at copsCar 54, where are you?
The head of a security patrol in the Bronx says one of its marked vehicles - seized by the NYPD nearly four years ago - has vanished without a trace.
Dominick Masullo, a retired cop and former coordinator of then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani's community assistance unit, said the missing 1996 Ford is virtually worthless, but he wants the NYPD to find it because it's the right thing to do.
Masullo said an out-of-control investigative unit led by a controversial sergeant was hellbent on proving that his Bronx Task Force on Child Abuse Prevention misrepresented itself as real cops.
"A lot of illegal stuff was done to us," Masullo, 61, said. "They came and took the car illegally. If we did something illegal, we would have been arrested by now."
The white Ford with the group's name painted on both sides was last seen Aug. 3, 2005, at the i
ntersection of Zerega and Maclay Aves., occupied by four members of the security patrol.
Sgt. William Planeta of the documents fraud squad jumped out of an unmarked SUV with another unidentified detective and ordered the men out of the Ford.
"He [Planeta] asked for our IDs, badges, and the next thing I know he gave me a summons for windows being too tinted," said member Miguel Martinez.
Masullo said the sergeant told them he was taking the Ford as part of the investigation, and then added: " 'I'm going to bury it where you'll never find it.'"
About a month later, a search warrant was executed at the security group's office, seizing computers, radios, paperwork and three additional vehicles.
The Bronx district attorney's office recently told the group's lawyer the three vehicles are at the NYPD pound, but there's no record of the other car.
"There are three ways to make a car disappear - burn it, chop it up or put it at the bottom of the river," lawyer Paul Lima said. "I think these detectives acted like they were above the law."
The head of a security patrol in the Bronx says one of its marked vehicles - seized by the NYPD nearly four years ago - has vanished without a trace.
Dominick Masullo, a retired cop and former coordinator of then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani's community assistance unit, said the missing 1996 Ford is virtually worthless, but he wants the NYPD to find it because it's the right thing to do.
Masullo said an out-of-control investigative unit led by a controversial sergeant was hellbent on proving that his Bronx Task Force on Child Abuse Prevention misrepresented itself as real cops.
"A lot of illegal stuff was done to us," Masullo, 61, said. "They came and took the car illegally. If we did something illegal, we would have been arrested by now."
The white Ford with the group's name painted on both sides was last seen Aug. 3, 2005, at the i
ntersection of Zerega and Maclay Aves., occupied by four members of the security patrol.Sgt. William Planeta of the documents fraud squad jumped out of an unmarked SUV with another unidentified detective and ordered the men out of the Ford.
"He [Planeta] asked for our IDs, badges, and the next thing I know he gave me a summons for windows being too tinted," said member Miguel Martinez.
Masullo said the sergeant told them he was taking the Ford as part of the investigation, and then added: " 'I'm going to bury it where you'll never find it.'"
About a month later, a search warrant was executed at the security group's office, seizing computers, radios, paperwork and three additional vehicles.
The Bronx district attorney's office recently told the group's lawyer the three vehicles are at the NYPD pound, but there's no record of the other car.
"There are three ways to make a car disappear - burn it, chop it up or put it at the bottom of the river," lawyer Paul Lima said. "I think these detectives acted like they were above the law."
No comments:
Post a Comment
We appreciates all comments and fosters free speech, however, keep in mind that we have young readers who peruse our site. Having said that, please refrain from using profane language, and know that flaming will not be tolerated. Spam will not be tolerated.