A Southeast Queens man was charged in connection to seven burglaries at commercial buildings in Maspeth, Long Island City, Woodside and Jamaica during a five-week span.
Aaron McKelvy, 30, of Jamaica, was arraigned on July 24 in Queens Supreme Court on a grand jury indictment charging him with five counts of burglary in the third degree and one count of petit larceny. McKelvey was arraigned earlier in July on three criminal complaints charging him with two counts of burglary in the, criminal possession of a forged instrument and other crimes.
According to the charges and investigation, on the night of Wednesday, May 13, McKelvey pried open the front door to Borenstein Catering in Jamaica just before 8:30 p.m. where he was confronted by a security guard and left the premises without incident. Less than two weeks later, on Tuesday, May 26 at 6:30 p.m., McKelvey allegedly entered an unoccupied office building on 44th Avenue in Long Island City through an unlocked back door where he wandered around for 20 minutes before leaving.
On the night of Monday, June 1, at 8 p.m., McKelvey allegedly entered a satellite office of NBC News alongside the Pulaski Bridge at 53-01 11th St. in Long Island City and left with a sum of international currency, according to the charges. On Tuesday, June 16, beginning at 4 a.m., McKelvey allegedly entered three office buildings within blocks of one another in Long Island City, rifling through desk drawers and taking two credit cards and a flashlight from one of the offices. Two days later, on Thursday, June 18, at 2:20 p.m., McKelvey allegedly entered the office at Smart Haven Lifestyle at 33-59 55th St. in Woodside, but he was confronted by a security guard and left without incident. Between 7:05 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. that evening, he allegedly used a screwdriver to pry open the front door of Penava Mechanical Corp. at 59-15 55th St. in Maspeth and once inside attempted to open mail left on a desk. He was confronted by a worker and left without incident.
McKelvey was apprehended by the NYPD in Brooklyn on July 7.
“As alleged, this defendant thought he could enter private office buildings and help himself to cash and other items.,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “He brazenly carried out three of the burglaries in just one day.”
Queens Supreme Court Justice Frances Wang set bail at $50,000 cash, $100,000 bond and $75,000 partially secured bond and ordered him to return to court on Aug. 27.
“Workers deserve to feel secure in their offices without fear of intruders,” Katz said. “We thank our partners at the NYPD for their work on this case.”
McKelvey is facing 3 ½ to seven years in prison on each burglary count, if convicted.