Borough-Wide Blotter
COMPILED BY LIZ GOFF
108th Precinct

Taxi Owner Masterminds Car Theft Ring & Credit Card Scam

Prosecutors last week charged Saleem Latit, the owner of a Long Island City taxi service, with masterminding a huge car theft ring and using the stolen auto parts to repair his 200-vehicle fleet.

Latit was arraigned in Queens Supreme Court on enterprise corruption and stolen property charges after police at the NYPD Auto Crimes Unit raided his taxi dispatch company at 52-01 Van Dam Street, authorities said.

The raid wrapped up a yearlong investigation by the Auto Crimes squad and detectives at the Queens District Attorney's Squad. Prosecutors charged Latit with spearheading a systematic auto dismantling ring, through which other defendants provided him [Latit] with stolen parts used to maintain [his] vehicles.

Latit was caught with wiretaps where he ordered "hot" car parts from co-defendants Eduardo Aguayo and Robert Franov. Both men, described as chop-shop owners, were arraigned along with Latit on the same charges.

Seven other men have also been charged in the ring and more arrests are likely, law enforcement sources said.

Prosecutors assert ring members would routinely drive stolen vehicles to the chop shop where they were stripped and their spare parts then delivered to Latit.

Latit is also being investigated by the Secret Service and the FBI for using stolen credit card numbers to purchase more than $100,000 in insurance for vehicles in his taxi fleet, prosecutors said,

Defense attorney Stephen Mahler said his client has known for more than a year that authorities were building a case against him. Mahler said authorities have fabricated charges against his client, and that Latit has been cooperating with investigators at the district attorney's office.

109th Precinct

City Bus Sideswipes & Kills Bicyclist

Police are investigating a fatal accident that took the life of a 31-year-old Flushing bicyclist on September 1.

Habian Rodriguez was riding his bicycle northbound near the intersection of Main Street and the Horace Harding Expressway when he was side-swiped by a city bus traveling in the same direction. Rodriguez, who was knocked off his bike, was taken to New York Hospital of Queens where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Police said no summonses were issued and no one has been charged in the incident.