9/11 Memorial Robbery Suspect has Troubled History in Building, Residents Say

By David Greene 

Bronx Voice 

December 5, 2024

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BRONX - Police have charged a Norwood man with stealing a gold-plated rose from a 9/11 memorial from inside a Manhattan church.

The theft was reported to police at 2:30 p.m. on November 20, inside of St. Francis of Assisi Church, located at 135 West 31 Street. 

A police source told the Bronx Voice at the time, “An unknown individual entered the church (and) removed a gold-plated metal rose from the 9/11 Memorial inside without permission.”

Police quickly released surveillance photos of the suspect walking-- while holding the rose in his hand. The following day he was identified and was subsequently arrested on November 22. Police charged Deikel Alcantara, 21, of Dekalb Avenue with grand larceny 3rd degree.

The police source added that the rose, with an estimated value of $3,000—was not returned to the church. The pastor of the church told Eyewitness News that the suspect had frequented the church and was once asked to leave.

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Public records show Alcantara has had three recent arrests on October 27, November 9 and November 22, all occurring in Manhattan.

During a visit to the Dekalb Avenue building, one male resident said in broken English after viewing the police surveillance photo, “The guy lives on the 5th floor, he’s a problem.”

Now speaking in Spanish, the same man said through a female translator inside of the 6-story building, “He says he knows him; he’s a young guy and he’s got problems. He’s a young guy, he used to live here, but he’s having problems.”

The two residents claimed that the man had been squatting in the 5th floor stairwell since being evicted. The female translator was now speaking to the female resident speaking Spanish when the translator stated, “I didn’t even hear what she said, but she says that he’s doing pee-pee and all that stuff” in the stairwell.

Speaking in English again, the man continued, “He’s not a problem. The guy’s no troublemaker, no problem. He’s a good guy, but the brains are no good. Maybe he (should) be put in a hospital, I don’t know. Yeah, put him in the hospital.”

When told that Alcantara stole an item from a 9/11 memorial from inside a church, the man responded, “Oh. Hmm. He’s a good guy, I don’t know.”

The NYPD was asked if Alcantara was suspected of having mental illness, but they did not immediately respond.