Veteran Port Authority cop charged with stealing LaGuardia impound fees

The impound lot at LaGuardia Airport. Photo via the Port Authority.

By Jonathan Sperling

A LaGuardia Airport police officer with 17 years of experience on the force is accused of conducting an intricate scheme to divert tens of thousands of dollars worth of impound fees from his employer to his own personal bank accounts.

Between 2016 and 2018, Jeffrey McCabe was assigned to the impound unit at LaGuardia Airport in East Elmhurst, which handles the release of vehicles that had been towed from the airport and stored by the Port Authority Police Department. McCabe allegedly collected the required money orders from drivers retrieving a vehicle and stole $70,000 worth of money orders instead of following the correct procedure.

Over 100 impound lot patrons were interviewed throughout the investigation leading up to the charges against McCabe, according to Port Authority Inspector Michael Nestor, who thanked the Queens District Attorney’s Office. McCabe was arraigned on Wednesday before Judge Jerry Iannce and faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

“If the charges are proven true, the defendant does not deserve to wear a police officer’s badge,” said Acting Queens DA John Ryan in a statement.

“This kind of underhanded thievery is unacceptable — especially from someone who has taken an oath to serve and protect the public,” he added.

A forensic analysis of McCabe’s bank records allegedly shows that handwritten money orders made payable to himself were deposited into two separate accounts controlled by McCabe. He has been charged with second- and third-degree grand larceny, petit larceny, first-degree scheme to defraud, first-degree falsifying business records and official misconduct.

McCabe also allegedly collected money orders valued at between $100 to $200 from people who were not even required to pay impounded vehicle fees, such as those who are arrested or those whose vehicle was stored for less than 24 hours. 

McCabe resigned from his position with the PAPD yesterday.