Saturday, April 26, 2025
A Baldwin man has been indicted in connection with an alleged retail theft operation that employed multiple individuals to steal merchandise from Home Depot stores across Long Island and parts of New York City, Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced.
Authorities allege Manooj Heeralall, 55, orchestrated the scheme between October 2021 and December 2023, targeting stores in Nassau and Suffolk counties, as well as Queens and Brooklyn. A search of his home uncovered roughly $40,000 worth of stolen merchandise, prosecutors said.
Heeralall was arraigned Friday before Judge Howard Sturim on a grand jury indictment. He faces charges including burglary, criminal possession of stolen property, grand larceny, and conspiracy. He pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear in court on April 7. If convicted, he faces up to seven years in prison.
“This defendant was the alleged architect of a retail theft scheme targeting Home Depot stores across Long Island and in parts of New York City, in which nearly $40,000 worth of items were stolen and later shipped to Guyana to be sold for a profit,” Donnelly said. “My office, with our partners at the Nassau County Police Department, will take down these retail theft rings and hold thieves accountable for their criminal actions.”
Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said law enforcement remains committed to cracking down on retail crime.
“There is no place for retail crime in Nassau County,” Ryder said. “These criminals targeting businesses and hard-working people will always be pursued, and we are proud of our partnership with the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office and Organized Retail Crime Task Force for bringing them to justice.”
Investigation Details
According to prosecutors, between March and December 2023, Heeralall allegedly recruited individuals to steal items such as circuit breakers, light switches, and other electrical equipment from multiple Home Depot locations, including stores in Freeport, Levittown, Syosset, and Westbury.
Authorities say he later met with the individuals, paid them for the stolen merchandise, and stored the items at his home and garage.
During a search of Heeralall’s home on Dec. 7, police recovered nearly 1,000 circuit breakers valued at $15,025, along with hundreds of other stolen items, including circular saw blades, outlets, and additional circuit breakers. In his garage, officers also found four garbage bins filled with approximately $9,576 worth of acrylic roof coating, rock spotlights, oscillating blades for grout, and light switch wall plates.
In total, authorities seized an estimated $37,151 worth of stolen merchandise.
Prosecution and Investigation
Heeralall was arrested on Dec. 7 by members of the Nassau County Police Department’s District Attorney Squad. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kaitlyn Wells of the Organized Crime and Rackets Bureau, under Bureau Chief Jeremy Glicksman and Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Investigations Division Rick Whelan.
Heeralall is represented by attorney Raymond Baierlein.
