A prolific Large Apple burglar has been let loose dozens of instances by sympathetic judges after committing quite a few heists — together with one break-in he dedicated the identical day he was free of Rikers Island on costs of slugging a cop, The Put up has discovered.
Al Booker, 41, has managed to rack up greater than 40 arrests — largely for housebreaking and felony mischief — in a Manhattan crime spree that dates again to 2018, the NYPD confirmed.
His fortunate streak got here to an finish final week, although, after he was lastly ordered to be held with out bail following a bust for eight burglaries on the Higher East Aspect within the final two months alone.
Regardless of the handfuls of busts to his title over time, Booker has been minimize unfastened on each single housebreaking rap due, partly, to New York’s bail reform and soft-on-crime prosecutors and judges, legislation enforcement sources mentioned.
He’s solely served time as soon as — a six-month stint at Rikers final 12 months — for hitting an NYPD officer within the face when he was being collared for a February 2024 housebreaking, in accordance with sources.
In that case, the identified recidivist copped a sweetheart deal after Manhattan prosecutors bundled 10 completely different housebreaking circumstances collectively in alternate for him pleading responsible to a misdemeanor assault cost, sources mentioned.
After his time within the infamous slammer, Booker’s crime rampage and his historical past of being sprung on pre-trial supervision solely continued, in accordance with sources.
The criminal was cuffed once more on November 8 — the identical day he was launched — and slapped with costs over three burglaries on the Higher East Aspect, sources mentioned.
And even that fast of a bust couldn’t result in him being locked up — as he walked free after a choose agreed to the Manhattan DA’s request for supervised launch, the sources added.
Two weeks later, Booker was re-arrested over an Higher East Aspect housebreaking on November 24.
Regardless of prosecutors making an attempt to carry him on a $30,000 bail in that incident, a Manhattan Felony Courtroom choose set pre-trial supervision as a substitute.
He was picked up once more on January 15 over a slew of burglaries concentrating on UES buildings however was launched, but once more, on supervised launched by the choose.
His fortunate streak lastly got here to an finish when he was collared on January 31 following two extra thefts, together with one the place cops allegedly caught him stealing packages and a bag from a stroller, in accordance with a felony criticism.
This time, Manhattan Felony Courtroom Decide Rachel Pauley agreed to prosecutors’ requests to carry him on $20,000 bail, per sources.
Booker has been holed up at Rikers since Feb. 3, data present.
The Put up reached out to the DA’s workplace about Booker’s recidivist historical past however didn’t hear again instantly.
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