NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – The mechanisms that make industrial grade toilets flush are not cheap – and that may explain why a Hudson Valley man was allegedly going to fast food joints across Queens and making a beeline for the bathroom.
The Queens DA says Richard Mirabile, of Congers, walked out of at least eight fast food joints with the flushing mechanisms from toilets, even hitting some locations twice.
Police announced that they had caught their so-called "flush-and-grab" suspect Monday.
Authorities allege that he went to the bathrooms of the restaurants, ripped off the expensive flushing mechanisms, placed them in a bag and ran.
Prosecutors say he took the plumbing fixtures from Wendy's, Burger King, Arby's, and more.
Mirabile, who's reportedly a plumber, was being held on $25,000 bail Monday. He's charged with burglary, criminal mischief and petit larceny.
It wasn't immediately clear if he has an attorney.
