Colombian Migrant Pickpockets Apprehended at Governor's Ball Festival in Queens
A group of migrant pickpockets was apprehended while stealing at the Governor’s Ball Festival in Queens. The three Colombian immigrants were caught in the act by vigilant police officers at the three-day music festival in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Maritza Cortes Palomo, Windi Paola Mendoza Echeverry, and Maria Mendoza were arrested and charged with theft and possession of stolen property. Echeverry also faced charges of resisting arrest. The NYPD Pickpocket Squad and Patrol Borough Queens North worked together to make the arrests, with one of the migrants found with multiple stolen phones. The trio was arraigned over the weekend and released without bail under the state’s criminal justice reforms. They are scheduled to appear in court in July and August. The NYPD had previously dealt with pickpocketing asylum seekers, leading to the creation of a specialized team to address the issue.