Authorities have reported that one of the most notorious pickpocketers in the NYPD’s list of major subway crime offenders has been released back onto the streets following another alleged crime.
According to a police source, Darin Mickens, who has a record of 72 arrests, was apprehended on July 2 in Chinatown at the intersection of Market Street and East Broadway for allegedly taking a wallet from a teenager’s backpack. It was reported that Mickens claimed to have found the tan wallet, but he was charged with a felony grand larceny nonetheless.
According to the DA’s office, Mickens received a desk appearance ticket in relation to the incident that occurred in March.
Authorities stated that on May 13, they were able to apprehend Mickens by utilizing surveillance footage in the vicinity, similar to the incident in July.
Mickens, like many others, was included in the NYPD’s “Nifty 50” deck of cards featuring the city’s most frequent subway criminals. However, he was quickly released back onto the streets, just like many other cases.
On June 25th, he entered a plea of not guilty to three counts of grand larceny. Despite this, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is known for being soft on crime, granted him supervised release. It’s important to note that the charges were not eligible for bail according to the DA’s office.
According to critics, the catch and release cycle will persist until there is a change in the law.
Joseph Giacalone, an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a retired NYPD sergeant, expressed his concern about a repeat offender who has added 70 more crimes to the city’s list. “He’s out there doing it again,” Giacalone stated.
In just a split second, these crimes can escalate into violent acts, even though some may argue that the person in question isn’t dangerous.
Requests for comment were made to Mickens and his attorney, but they did not respond.
