New York robbers tracked by ‘trail of macaroni salad’

Published 3:15 pm Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Deputies in New York say edible evidence led them to three suspects in the robbery of a Mount Morris burger restaurant.

According to Livingston County, N.Y., Sheriff Thomas J. Doughty, Matthew Sapetko, 34, James Marullo, 35, and Timothy Walker Jr., 23, are now facing felony charges linked to the burglary of an area Build-A-Burger restaurant over the weekend.

Deputies said that the owners of the restaurant reported to the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) that their cash register and entire surveillance system were taken early Sunday morning.

During their investigation, authorities collected evidence along an area trail and found cash register parts, surveillance system parts, rubber gloves, loose change and a steady trail of macaroni salad, according to police reports. Deputies say that in addition to the cash register and surveillance system, the trio also stole a large bowl of macaroni salad and took turns eating it during their retreat from the restaurant.

The men were taken into custody by the LCSO Sunday afternoon with all three booked on burglary, criminal mischief and grand larceny charges. Walker also faces criminal possession charges linked to drug paraphernalia.

According to Doughty, most of the property stolen from the restaurant was recovered.

Bail for both Walker and Sapetko was set at $7,500. Marullo is being held on no bail, due to prior felony convictions.