Thou shall not steal: Fake priest arrested for stealing from churches in Queens across the country
45-year-old Malin Rostas of Romania was arrested for posing as a priest and stealing from churches.
Photo by Dean Moses
Thou shall not steal was only one of several commandments a false prophet disregarded.
Police arrested and charged on Thursday an international scam artist who they say posed as a priest in order to steal from a Queens church and other houses of worship across the country, authorities confirmed.
According to police sources, 45-year-old Malin Rostas of Romania arrived at American Martyrs Roman Catholic Church, located at 79-43 Bell Boulevard on March 3, claiming to be a visiting priest. A 63-year-old man bought the story and let the faux father inside where he allegedly stole $900 from a back bedroom before fleeing.
What at first appeared to be simple burglary soon unraveled into something far more, police said. Investigators quickly discovered that Rostas not only allegedly posed as a priest in New York City, but also in upstate and other states across the country such as Texas, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Georgia — all with a similar modus operandi. He is even reportedly wanted in England by the Northumberland police.
In another incident in Fairfield, Pennsylvania Rostas made off with a whooping $15,500 from a dresser inside of Monastery of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Jesus Mary and Joseph church.
After images of Rostas were released, sources familiar with the investigation report that the impersonator saw himself on television and tried to flee New York to California where cops in the Golden State arrested the alleged con artist. He was extradited back to the Big Apple on July 18.
Rostas attempted to shield his face from press cameras, hunching over as detectives took him out of the 111th Precinct in cuffs on Thursday evening. He refused to answer for his alleged crimes.
In the Queens incident, Rostas is charged with burglary and petit larceny.
