Federal prosecutors say the trio used a rented Home Depot truck to pull off a brazen daytime heist outside a luxury Long Island mall — then hid the loot in a New Jersey storage unit.
Imagine showing up to work on a cold January morning — and leaving with zip ties around your wrists, locked in the back of your own truck. That is exactly what prosecutors say happened to two Apple delivery workers on January 3, 2026, outside the Americana Manhasset shopping center on Long Island.
Now, four months later, three men are facing federal charges in connection with the robbery.
What happened
Around 8 a.m., as the workers were preparing to deliver Apple products to the mall’s Apple Store, prosecutors allege three armed men approached them at gunpoint. One worker was forced into the back of the delivery truck and zip-tied. The second was ordered to drive to a secluded nearby parking area — where he was also restrained.
The suspects then allegedly transferred the cargo into a rented Home Depot box truck. Once done, they shut both victims inside and fled. One worker later managed to free himself and called 911.
How they were caught
Investigators traced the stolen merchandise to a self-storage facility in Paterson, New Jersey, where surveillance footage allegedly showed two of the suspects renting a storage unit. The Home Depot truck was found abandoned in the Bronx on January 5.
Inside the truck, authorities found a rental agreement — and on it, fingerprints allegedly matching one of the accused. Prosecutors say the truck had been rented using a fake Pennsylvania driver’s license.
“A violent and brazen daytime robbery that endangered the public at one of Long Island’s busiest shopping destinations.”— U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr.
The accused
All three face charges of robbery, robbery conspiracy, and interstate transportation of stolen property. If convicted on all counts, they could each face up to 30 years in prison.
An attorney for Sirett-Padilla stated his client “has been charged, not convicted,” and pledged to ensure the presumption of innocence is fully upheld throughout the proceedings.
