BURGLARS WITH BABIES

Three alleged crooks behind a pair of burglaries in Woodside and East Elmhurst last Monday, Apr. 20 reportedly brought the two young children of one of the suspects with them on the capers, according to police.

The suspects were identified by the Queens District Attorney's office as Hugo Lantigua, 22, of 41st Avenue in Corona; Erika Santana, 23, of 159th Street in Jamaica and Pedro Camillo, 19, of Goodwin Place in Bushwick.

Law enforcement sources charged that Santana allegedly waited inside the getaway van with her two daughters— one four-years-old, the other five-months-old—as Lantigua and Camillo pilfered a pair of apartments last Monday afternoon.

"It is unthinkable that a mother and father would put their children in harm's way while allegedly committing these crimes," said Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown in a statement. "It is even more unimaginable that they would allegedly do so with a loaded handgun in their vehicle."

Prosecutors said the trouble began at around 12:10 p.m. last Monday at a home located on 63rd Street near Broadway.

Reportedly, an eyewitness observed a blonde-haired woman later determined to be Santana sitting behind the wheel of a Ford Windstar minivan outside the crime scene. Moments later, law enforcement sources said, Lantigua and Camillo were spotted leaving through the front door of the home before entering the van, which drove away from the scene.

It was later determined by police that the suspects had broken into an apartment inside the house and removed a sum of cash as well as a gold chain and a handheld electronic game.

Just over an hour after the first burglary, prosecutors noted, Santana was observed inside the Ford Wind- storm minivan parked outside a home on 83rd Street near 31st Avenue in Jackson Heights at around 1:35 p.m.

Officers from the Patrol Borough Queens North Anti-Crime Unit reportedly observed the two male suspects enter the residence illegally and leave shortly thereafter.

The officers stopped the male suspects and Santana and placed them under arrest.

Upon arresting the female suspect, prosecutors stated, the officers discovered her two daughters inside the van. The children were later placed in the custody of the suspect's sister.

With the assistance of officers from the 108th Precinct, the Anti- Crime Unit members charged the trio variously with first- and second-degree burglary, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, fourth-degree grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, possession of burglar's tools, resisting arrest, endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful possession of radio devices.

All three defendants were arraigned on Tuesday, Apr. 21 in Queens Criminal Court before Judge Toko Serita. Lantigua and Camillo were ordered held in custody on $20,000 and $10,000 cash bail, respectively; Santana was released on her own recognizance.

The suspects are scheduled to return to court on May 5. If convicted, they face up to 25 years in prison.

It was noted that the children were placed in the custody of Santana's sister. Officials from the Administration for Children's Services were also notified of the incident.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Andrew H. Kaufman of the D.A.'s Special Proceedings Bureau, which is supervised by Assistant District Attorneys Anthony M. Communiello, bureau chief, and Oscar W. Ruiz, deputy bureau chief.

It was noted that the criminal charges are accusations and that Lantigua, Santana and Camillo are presumed innocent until proven guilty.