3 Indicted A Year After Home Burglaries Plague Lower Westchester

Three men accused of committing home burglaries throughout southern Westchester County were indicted Friday, and police are seeking two of them on warrants.

The burglary spree lasted from Aug. 8 through Sept. 24, 2019, and spanned Westchester communities including Pelham Manor, Bronxville, Larchmont, Rye City, Mount Vernon, Hartsdale, Yonkers and Rye Brook.

The case began as an investigation after a burglar alarm activated in an Eastchester home Aug. 13, 2019. The burglars had used a large rock to gain entry. Neighbors recorded video of a blue Jeep Grand Cherokee circling the neighborhood, parking suspiciously and driving off around the time of the alarm. A week later, a Bronxville home was burglarized and police also spotted a blue Jeep Grand Cherokee on surveillance and home video.

It ended the afternoon of Sept. 24, 2019. In a Rye Brook residence, three men were surprised by a homeowner and fled, but not before ransacking the home and stealing over $3,000 cash plus jewelry and other items. Westchester County Police arrested three suspects shortly thereafter on the Hutchinson River Parkway. In the vehicle, police said they found found proceeds of the Rye Brook burglary plus items from the previous night’s burglary in Yonkers.

Typically, the burglars used large rocks to break windows to gain entry. They stole many thousands of dollars’ worth of items from the 10 homes they burglarized, including safes, cash, jewelry, televisions, cameras, luggage, Rolex and other designer watches, designer pocketbooks and shoes, collector baseball cards, credit cards, birth certificates, Social Security cards, and in one instance, a $100,000 Porsche. In many instances, items of extreme sentimental value that cannot be replaced were taken.

All Bronx residents, the three accused are Omar Willis, 29, Latiek Frazer, 27, and Thomas Ricketts, 29.

The charges detailed in the 47-count indictment include 10 counts of Burglary in the Second Degree–Dwelling, a class C felony, two counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony, two counts of Attempted Burglary in the Second Degree–Dwelling, a class D felony, as well as multiple charges for Grand Larceny in the Third and Fourth Degrees, and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third and Fourth degrees, all felonies, as well as multiple misdemeanor charges. The defendants were also charged with Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a class E felony, Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced.

Count 47 charges Willis with Attempted Burglary in the Second Degree for an incident that occurred June 10, 2020 in the City of Rye, while he was at liberty on the earlier burglary charges.

Frazer was arraigned on dozens of charges Friday before Judge George E. Fufidio. Bail was set at $10,000 cash/$100,000 bond/$100,000 partially secured bond.

Willis and Ricketts failed to appear. Their arraignments were adjourned and are now scheduled for Monday in Westchester County Court. There are outstanding warrants for Willis and Ricketts.

City of Rye, Greenburgh, Rye Brook, Larchmont, Mount Vernon, Pelham, Yonkers and Westchester County police departments assisted in the investigation.

Investigations Division Assistant District Attorney Celia Curtis and Second Deputy District Attorney Steven Vandervelden are prosecuting the case.