Three men were arrested yesterday for allegedly stealing tens ofthousands of dollars worth of cardboard from big box stores in NewJersey through what investigators called a "large scale recycling theftring."Neil Devito and John Nichols were taken into custody in Old Bridge andSouth Amboy, New Jersey, respectively, while Vincenzo Grasso wasarrested on a parole violation in Staten Island, New York."This group invested a considerable amount of money to create a companywhich sole purpose was to steal from major retailers throughout NewJersey,” Superintendent of New Jersey State Police Col. Rick Fuentessaid in a release. "Although this type of theft is not readily visibleto the public, it ultimately hurts the customer in the form of higherprices."Grasso allegedly orchestrated the theft ring, focusing on Walmart andSam's Club stores in New Jersey. Investigators said Grasso and Devitobuilt a "shadow operation" posing as legal waste haulers.Under the name "Metro Paper, Inc," they allegedly scouted stores andthen sent trucks to steal cardboard from their loading docks.Authorities said they sold the ripped-off refuse, which goes for about$100 per ton, at transfer stations in New York and New Jersey.The ring at its peak allegedly ran routes six days a week usingStraightline Trucking vehicles. Between April and July 2012,investigators with the New York City Business Integrity Commission saidthey observed the ring illegally haul 900 tons of cardboard, generating aprofit of about $103,000.They believe that, based on similar thefts at other stores in theregion, the operation is responsible for even more stolen recyclables."The daily theft of cardboard hurts our entire industry, from smallfamily-owned hauling operators to larger firms who lose the revenue, andtheir customers that feel the loss in greater fees,” said RonBergamini, CEO of New York City's largest commercial hauler, ActionEnvironmental Services, in a statement. "Today’s announcement and thecooperation needed to get here is welcome across our industry, as thisis not a victimless crime."
