By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2026-10-07 18:07:01 | Updated at 2026-10-07 22:02:41
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They were armed and dangerous.
Two Romanian jewelry thieves used sweet talk and a warm hug to steal a 73-year-old Long Island senior citizen’s $2,000 gold necklace from around her neck, cops said.
The brazen bandits, Mirabela Lacatusu, 26, and Rudi Lacatusu, 28, rolled up to the overly-trusting elderly woman outside of her Valley Stream home in a gold Mitsubishi on Monday afternoon, Nassau County police said.
Mirabela Lacatusu, 26, was arrested for her part in a hug-and-run theft. Nassau County PD
Rudi Lacatusu, 28, was also arrested and charged for his role. Nassau County PDMirabela, who was riding shotgun, rolled down her window and asked the senior for directions to BJ’s Wholesale Club, cops said.
After the Good Samaritan pointed the pair in the right direction, Mirabela bizarrely asked to give the woman a hug and gift her two fake-gold necklaces, according to police.
But during the fake-love-filled hug and faux-necklace gifting — Mirabela secretly snatched the elderly woman’s $2,000 gold necklace without her noticing until long after the pair took off, cops said.
After a short investigation, detectives tracked the thievery back to the duo, who both live in Ontario, Canada, and linked them to similar hug-and-run heists throughout Nassau County, but think there may possibly be more victims, cops said.
The Lacatusus were each charged with three counts of grand larceny and released on desk appearance tickets.
The pair, both Romanian nationals, are due back in court on Oct. 20.
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