Arrested 101 times: a criminal in New York is constantly released without bail due to a strange law

The fraudster, whom New York City Mayor Eric Adams called "recidivist #1", has been identified as Harold Gooding, a 53-year-old serial shoplifter. He was arrested 101 times and released all the time. Writes about it New York Post.

“How many crimes do you think he actually committed? Two hundred? Three hundred? A thousand? asked NYPD Crime Squad Chief Michael LiPetri. And guess what the result is? Today he walks the streets of New York and is probably committing another crime as we speak."

Sources have identified Gooding as a previously unknown criminal who is on the NYPD's list of "worst of the worst" repeat offenders who have been released time and time again due to bail being cancelled.

Gooding has served three prison terms since a sentence of one to three years for an attempted burglary in Brooklyn in 1994. He was sent upstate again in 1996 for an attempted robbery in Brooklyn, according to the state Department of Corrections and Public Safety.

In 2001, Gooding was sentenced to 10 years in prison for first-degree robbery in Brooklyn, and in 2008 he was released on parole.

In February, he pleaded guilty to petty theft in another Manhattan case and received a conditional release that required him to stay out of trouble and appear in court periodically.

After failing to appear, he was arrested on a court order in July and his parole was extended for a year, records show.

In a series of robberies this year, Gooding stole from a Target store in Tribeca several times—all wearing the same white hat.

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According to prosecutors, security camera showed that Gooding stole household items from the store five times between May 12 and June 16.

He was apprehended about two blocks from the store while trying to escape after a recent robbery.

In the bags he was carrying, officers allegedly found $430 worth of towels, sheets and kitchenware stolen from the store.

Other items, including a blender, a coffee maker, kitchen utensils and two deep fryers, boosted the value of his catch to $2000.

According to the district attorney, he is suspected of about 17 other thefts from the same store.

In accordance with the state bail reform law, he was released without bail.

The landlord at Gooding's last known address in the Bronx said he lived there for about three years until he moved out in June 2021 after the landlord called the police and accused him of stealing packages.

The owner of the house, who identified himself as Henry, said the police had visited the building looking for Gooding at least four times, most recently about 10 days ago.

“We thought he was a good guy,” Henry admitted.

Gooding's mother, Delores Stroy, 72, was surprised to learn that her son was at the top of the NYPD's "worst of the worst" list.

"It can't be Harold," she said. "I don't know anything about it."