The man accused of stealing a $3k gold-plated rose from a church’s 9/11 memorial displayed a shocking lack of remorse during his arraignment on Saturday night. Deikel Alcantara, 21, seemed unfazed as prosecutors detailed a series of crimes he allegedly committed in the past month.
Judge Simiyon Haniff reprimanded Alcantara for his inappropriate behavior, which included fidgeting, smiling, and laughing as the court heard about his callous acts. Despite the seriousness of the charges against him, Alcantara appeared oblivious to the gravity of the situation.
Alcantara’s alleged theft of the gold-plated rose from the Saint Francis of Assis church on West 31st Street was witnessed by a security guard. The guard reportedly cautioned Alcantara against touching the memorial, but the accused disregarded the warning and absconded with the valuable rose, which remains unrecovered to this day.
In addition to the theft, Alcantara is accused of assaulting a senior citizen with a metal pipe on October 24, resulting in second-degree assault charges. He also faces another misdemeanor charge, the specifics of which have not been disclosed.
Despite the serious nature of the allegations against him, Alcantara continued to laugh and smile throughout the court proceedings, prompting Judge Haniff to question his lack of remorse. The defendant was ultimately turned in to the police by his father on Friday night and was ordered to be held on $75,000 bail.
Alcantara is charged with grand larceny for the theft of the rose and is scheduled to appear in court again on Tuesday. The brazen nature of his alleged crimes and his cavalier attitude towards the charges against him have left many shocked and disturbed by his behavior.
