BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Buffalo man was arraigned last week in Buffalo City Court for allegedly stealing bronze statues from Forest Lawn Cemetery on three different occasions.
On April 1, Michael T. Piscitello, 41, was allegedly found in possession of a bronze burning bush sculpture, which he allegedly stole from a gravesite at Forest Lawn Cemetery. The sculpture has an estimated value of $100,000, according to the Erie County District Attorney's Office.
It's also alleged that Piscitello damaged part of the statue and the base while trying to remove it, causing roughly $250 in damage.
The District Attorney's Office says Piscitello was arrested after he allegedly sold the sculpture to a scrap metal recycler. The statue was later returned.
On January 20, it's alleged that Piscitello damaged a different sculpture at a gravesite inside Forest Lawn Cemetery. Piscitello allegedly cut two bronze birds from a statue that has an estimated value of $7,000.
The District Attorney's Office says Piscitello was arrested after he allegedly sold parts of the statue to a scrap metal recycler. The cost of the damage sustained to the statue hasn't been determined at this time.
And on February 10, Piscitello allegedly stole a bronze ballroom dancer sculpture from another gravesite at Forest Lawn Cemetery. This statue has an estimated value of of $46,675, according to the District Attorney's Office.
The District Attorney's Office says Piscitello was once again arrested after he had allegedly sold the statue to a scrap metal recycler. The cost of the damage sustained to the statue has yet to be determined, but it is currently estimated at $10,000.
For each incident, Piscitello was charged with one county of criminal possession of stolen property in the second degree, one count of criminal mischief in the second degree, one count of grand larceny in the third degree, and one count of cemetery desecration in the first degree.
The Erie County District Attorney's office says Piscitello was released on his own recognizance. Piscitello is scheduled to return to court for all three cases on June 9.
