Gypsy Heart
Gold Member
Photographs of many of the recovered items may be viewed on the Niagara County Historical Society Web site (www.niagarahistory.org).
Brothers Suspected in Hundreds of New York State Robberies
by Joshua Korman
Over 100 antiques shops and at least a half-dozen historical societies across New York state were victims of a robbery spree by three brothers from 2004 to 2006, according to law enforcement officials. Items taken included presidential medals, a whale's tooth, and a Civil War roster. Even libraries and churches reported missing items, including an African elephant sculpture taken from a church in Medina, New York.
Brothers Kenneth, Michael, and Roy Ortiz of Orleans County, New York, are suspected by authorities in the string of thefts. The investigation, which has taken police officials as far as South Carolina, has become so widespread and now involves so many different police agencies that local authorities have requested assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Attorney's Office.
Investigators believe that the Ortiz brothers used a "Sunday Driver" map listing hundreds of antiques shops throughout New York state. They may have picked up the map at an antiques store early on. "It appears that they went to every [shop] on the map," said Detective Lieutenant Richard Podgers of the Lockport Police Department. "There are probably hundreds of victims. Some might not even know stuff has been taken from their stores."
Authorities believe that the stolen items were later sold through a variety of channels, including local dealers, eBay, auctions, and at least one large outdoor show.
The investigation began after the report of the theft of a whale's tooth from Historic Palmyra in July 2005. According to executive director Bonnie Hays, the sperm whale tooth, approximately 6" long and 3" in diameter, dated from 1843 and was part of a larger display regarding a whaling captain who hailed from Palmyra.
Hays remembers in detail the day of the theft, as she was the one who gave the suspects a tour. "It was very awkward," she said. Hays noticed that as she took the suspects on a tour, they were looking in, around, and under items in a way that was not typical of the historical society's usual visitors. One of the brothers asked to use the restroom and was consequently separated from the rest of the group. Hays believes that the tooth was taken at that time.
The suspects were the last visitors on the night of the theft. Historical society officials did not notice that the items were missing until the next morning, when they found the cover to the tooth's case in a bathroom sink. Hays was able to identify two of the Ortiz brothers based on photographs taken by a security camera at a local antiques shop that they allegedly burglarized immediately after leaving Historic Palmyra.
The suspects are also accused of taking two presidential medals along with two replica medals and a digital camera from the Civil War room display of the Niagara County Historical Society's Outwater Home, Lockport, New York, on July 29, 2006. The presidential medals had been awarded to Ely S. Parker, a famous Seneca Indian who was secretary to General Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War. Parker wrote the agreement of surrender signed by General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox, Virginia, at the close of the war.
Visitors to the Niagara County Historical Society are allowed to explore the premises without a tour guide, according to executive director Melissa Dunlap. "We have five buildings and only a couple employees," Dunlap said. "So as long as they were fairly quiet, I could see how it could happen. Our best security is when we are closed. Historical societies don't have the money to alarm individual cases."
Police officials began investigating the theft of the whale's tooth from Palmyra in 2005. Later, police from Lockport, Evans, and Medina joined the investigation, along with the Orleans County Sheriff's Office, which became the lead agency.
Investigators quickly became frustrated at some of the realities of the antiques trade as they looked into the case. "We know that private shops were hit," said investigator Kenneth Strickland of the Orleans County Sheriff's Office. "We don't know what was taken because there is not a lot of good log keeping. [The shops] don't even necessarily know what they had."
Items were often sold and resold so quickly that they were difficult or impossible to track. "Once these things start to move out of an innocent person's hands, they're gone," said Detective Podgers. "Most of these dealers have pickers, and the dealers don't know whether the pickers are buying them legitimately."
Podgers said, "One minute, dealers might have great records. At the next minute, they have no records. I don't think that it is because they know that they are buying stolen property. I think it is more for tax reasons."
Further, while authorities believed that items were being sold on eBay, the vast amount of activity on that site made it difficult for them to narrow in on the items that they were looking for. "eBay is a great source to fence stolen property," said Podgers. "To try and look at eBay every day for every item under antiques and memorabilia is just impossible."
Chief Jose Avila from the Medina Police Department was ultimately responsible for identifying the Ortiz brothers, according to Lieutenant Detective Samuel DeJohn of the Evans Police Department.
Nearly a year after the investigation began, the Orleans County Sheriff's Office conducted raids at the homes of the Ortiz brothers and several other locations. Stolen property was found at four different sites. Over 450 items were recovered, including old military clothing, small china, and porcelain figurines. The small size of most of the items indicated to investigators that the suspects were taking mostly items that could be fit into their pockets.
The three brothers were separately arrested around the same time in August 2006 by the Orleans County Sheriff's Office, according to Strickland. They have been initially charged with what Strickland characterized as "lower-level crimes" that were uncovered during the investigation. Michael Ortiz was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and drug-related offenses. Roy Ortiz was charged with possession of stolen property not affiliated with this case. Kenneth Ortiz was charged in connection with an automobile theft.
The brothers have not yet been charged directly with the thefts from antiques stores and historical societies. "That is definitely expected," said Strickland. Kenneth and Michael Ortiz remain incarcerated, while Roy Ortiz has been released from jail, Strickland added.
The brothers were questioned by officials from several police agencies following their arrests. "They are trying to save themselves, saying what their individual parts are," said Podgers. "At least one or more of the brothers is cooperating in the investigation."
As a result of his interview with Kenneth Ortiz, Avila was able to determine that war medals taken from a library in Medina were buried in a swamp nearby. He raced to recover them, worried that if he waited someone might try to dispose of the evidence. "We recovered every single medal from the World War Two heroes of our community," Avila said. "There were at least ten medals, including a presidential medal."
An antiques dealer from Middleport, New York, soon became a focus of authorities' inquiries as well, after police became aware that he was selling stolen items. Then, in the middle of the investigation, that dealer moved to South Carolina.
Police officers from New York state, including Podgers, went down to South Carolina to interview him. The dealer signed a statement and returned numerous items that he had purchased from the Ortiz brothers, including the presidential medals taken from the Niagara County Historical Society, several small dolls, a barometer, a clock, and a Civil War roster.
The Niagara County Historical Society has increased security following the robbery, according to Dunlap. "We put more cameras up, so that when we're open we can watch more rooms," she said. "It was expensive, and it was money that we didn't have to spend, but it was well worth it."
The sperm whale tooth stolen from Historic Palmyra has yet to be recovered, but Bonnie Hays remains hopeful. "Out of context, it's an old dirty whale tooth [with relatively little value]. For them to take it was just ridiculous. To us the value is priceless because it is intrinsic to the collection we have," said Hays. "It completes our collection."
Hays added, "There was just no rhyme or reason to it. It was a totally ridiculous crime."
Attorneys identified by the Orleans County District Attorney as representing the Ortiz brothers either declined to comment or did not return phone calls from M.A.D.
Law enforcement officials encourage dealers who believe that they may have had items stolen as part of this spree to contact investigator Kenneth Strickland of the Orleans County Sheriff's Office at (585) 590-4143. Photographs of many of the recovered items may be viewed on the Niagara County Historical Society Web site (www.niagarahistory.org).
Brothers Suspected in Hundreds of New York State Robberies
by Joshua Korman
Over 100 antiques shops and at least a half-dozen historical societies across New York state were victims of a robbery spree by three brothers from 2004 to 2006, according to law enforcement officials. Items taken included presidential medals, a whale's tooth, and a Civil War roster. Even libraries and churches reported missing items, including an African elephant sculpture taken from a church in Medina, New York.
Brothers Kenneth, Michael, and Roy Ortiz of Orleans County, New York, are suspected by authorities in the string of thefts. The investigation, which has taken police officials as far as South Carolina, has become so widespread and now involves so many different police agencies that local authorities have requested assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Attorney's Office.
Investigators believe that the Ortiz brothers used a "Sunday Driver" map listing hundreds of antiques shops throughout New York state. They may have picked up the map at an antiques store early on. "It appears that they went to every [shop] on the map," said Detective Lieutenant Richard Podgers of the Lockport Police Department. "There are probably hundreds of victims. Some might not even know stuff has been taken from their stores."
Authorities believe that the stolen items were later sold through a variety of channels, including local dealers, eBay, auctions, and at least one large outdoor show.
The investigation began after the report of the theft of a whale's tooth from Historic Palmyra in July 2005. According to executive director Bonnie Hays, the sperm whale tooth, approximately 6" long and 3" in diameter, dated from 1843 and was part of a larger display regarding a whaling captain who hailed from Palmyra.
Hays remembers in detail the day of the theft, as she was the one who gave the suspects a tour. "It was very awkward," she said. Hays noticed that as she took the suspects on a tour, they were looking in, around, and under items in a way that was not typical of the historical society's usual visitors. One of the brothers asked to use the restroom and was consequently separated from the rest of the group. Hays believes that the tooth was taken at that time.
The suspects were the last visitors on the night of the theft. Historical society officials did not notice that the items were missing until the next morning, when they found the cover to the tooth's case in a bathroom sink. Hays was able to identify two of the Ortiz brothers based on photographs taken by a security camera at a local antiques shop that they allegedly burglarized immediately after leaving Historic Palmyra.
The suspects are also accused of taking two presidential medals along with two replica medals and a digital camera from the Civil War room display of the Niagara County Historical Society's Outwater Home, Lockport, New York, on July 29, 2006. The presidential medals had been awarded to Ely S. Parker, a famous Seneca Indian who was secretary to General Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War. Parker wrote the agreement of surrender signed by General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox, Virginia, at the close of the war.
Visitors to the Niagara County Historical Society are allowed to explore the premises without a tour guide, according to executive director Melissa Dunlap. "We have five buildings and only a couple employees," Dunlap said. "So as long as they were fairly quiet, I could see how it could happen. Our best security is when we are closed. Historical societies don't have the money to alarm individual cases."
Police officials began investigating the theft of the whale's tooth from Palmyra in 2005. Later, police from Lockport, Evans, and Medina joined the investigation, along with the Orleans County Sheriff's Office, which became the lead agency.
Investigators quickly became frustrated at some of the realities of the antiques trade as they looked into the case. "We know that private shops were hit," said investigator Kenneth Strickland of the Orleans County Sheriff's Office. "We don't know what was taken because there is not a lot of good log keeping. [The shops] don't even necessarily know what they had."
Items were often sold and resold so quickly that they were difficult or impossible to track. "Once these things start to move out of an innocent person's hands, they're gone," said Detective Podgers. "Most of these dealers have pickers, and the dealers don't know whether the pickers are buying them legitimately."
Podgers said, "One minute, dealers might have great records. At the next minute, they have no records. I don't think that it is because they know that they are buying stolen property. I think it is more for tax reasons."
Further, while authorities believed that items were being sold on eBay, the vast amount of activity on that site made it difficult for them to narrow in on the items that they were looking for. "eBay is a great source to fence stolen property," said Podgers. "To try and look at eBay every day for every item under antiques and memorabilia is just impossible."
Chief Jose Avila from the Medina Police Department was ultimately responsible for identifying the Ortiz brothers, according to Lieutenant Detective Samuel DeJohn of the Evans Police Department.
Nearly a year after the investigation began, the Orleans County Sheriff's Office conducted raids at the homes of the Ortiz brothers and several other locations. Stolen property was found at four different sites. Over 450 items were recovered, including old military clothing, small china, and porcelain figurines. The small size of most of the items indicated to investigators that the suspects were taking mostly items that could be fit into their pockets.
The three brothers were separately arrested around the same time in August 2006 by the Orleans County Sheriff's Office, according to Strickland. They have been initially charged with what Strickland characterized as "lower-level crimes" that were uncovered during the investigation. Michael Ortiz was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and drug-related offenses. Roy Ortiz was charged with possession of stolen property not affiliated with this case. Kenneth Ortiz was charged in connection with an automobile theft.
The brothers have not yet been charged directly with the thefts from antiques stores and historical societies. "That is definitely expected," said Strickland. Kenneth and Michael Ortiz remain incarcerated, while Roy Ortiz has been released from jail, Strickland added.
The brothers were questioned by officials from several police agencies following their arrests. "They are trying to save themselves, saying what their individual parts are," said Podgers. "At least one or more of the brothers is cooperating in the investigation."
As a result of his interview with Kenneth Ortiz, Avila was able to determine that war medals taken from a library in Medina were buried in a swamp nearby. He raced to recover them, worried that if he waited someone might try to dispose of the evidence. "We recovered every single medal from the World War Two heroes of our community," Avila said. "There were at least ten medals, including a presidential medal."
An antiques dealer from Middleport, New York, soon became a focus of authorities' inquiries as well, after police became aware that he was selling stolen items. Then, in the middle of the investigation, that dealer moved to South Carolina.
Police officers from New York state, including Podgers, went down to South Carolina to interview him. The dealer signed a statement and returned numerous items that he had purchased from the Ortiz brothers, including the presidential medals taken from the Niagara County Historical Society, several small dolls, a barometer, a clock, and a Civil War roster.
The Niagara County Historical Society has increased security following the robbery, according to Dunlap. "We put more cameras up, so that when we're open we can watch more rooms," she said. "It was expensive, and it was money that we didn't have to spend, but it was well worth it."
The sperm whale tooth stolen from Historic Palmyra has yet to be recovered, but Bonnie Hays remains hopeful. "Out of context, it's an old dirty whale tooth [with relatively little value]. For them to take it was just ridiculous. To us the value is priceless because it is intrinsic to the collection we have," said Hays. "It completes our collection."
Hays added, "There was just no rhyme or reason to it. It was a totally ridiculous crime."
Attorneys identified by the Orleans County District Attorney as representing the Ortiz brothers either declined to comment or did not return phone calls from M.A.D.
Law enforcement officials encourage dealers who believe that they may have had items stolen as part of this spree to contact investigator Kenneth Strickland of the Orleans County Sheriff's Office at (585) 590-4143. Photographs of many of the recovered items may be viewed on the Niagara County Historical Society Web site (www.niagarahistory.org).
