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Suspect In $1.6 Million Gold Flake Bucket Midtown Theft Arrested In Ecuador
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 20, 2017
Modified Jan 20, 2017
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 20, 2017
Modified Jan 20, 2017
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The career criminal suspected of grabbing a five-gallon bucket containing $1.6 million worth of gold flakes from an armored truck has been caught. Julio Nivelo was apprehended in Ecuador, according to the police.
Last September, Nivelo, who is also known as David Vargas, approached an armored truck parked outside of 48 West 48th Street around 4:30 p.m. One of the truck's employees was making a delivery while another was apparently looking for his phone in the cab when Nivelo allegedly made his move for the 86-pound pail.
Last year, NYPD Detective Martin Pastor of the Major Case Squad told NBC New York that Nivelo is "a career thief who's been arrested seven times and deported four times to his native Ecuador... Pastor says Nivelo fled to Orlando, Florida, before moving on to California, where he's believed to be hiding out in the Los Angeles area with the stolen riches."
The Daily News reports, "He headed to Florida, then California, before making his way to Ecuador, officials said. Federal Homeland Security Investigations agents helped capture him there Thursday, officials said."
Some of the money has been recovered.
Nivelo may be involved with other incidents—"he grabbed jewelry from a courier truck, camera equipment from a car, clothing and glasses from a Fed Ex truck, and tried but failed to make off with a box of Jimmy Choo designer shoes," according to the News' sources.
Tagged
armored truck
gold flake thief
Julio Nivelo
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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