Cadillac Catastrophe

By Kayla Dantley Comm 331 April 5, 2017

COLLEGE PARK, Md. Michael Yanelli, a 22-year-old East Boston man, was arrested

at 9:15 Saturday night after he confessed to stealing a 1979 Cadillac.

The car belonged to Rene Gignac of Laconia, N.H. It was discovered missing at 11:45

a.m. on Thursday.

Police reported that besides a briefcase, papers, and wallet on the seat of the car, the

glove compartment contained $30,000 in checks and $10,000 in cash.

Gignac had left the car parked in front of 880 Saratoga, East Boston, which is four blocks

from Yanellis apartment. Three ladies seen walking down the street after the incident

said that Gignac was helping his mother-in-law move and the money in the glove

department was for a down payment on a new house or condominium for her.

Yanelli lives on a tree-lined residential street not far from Wonderland. A teenage girl

from Yanellis neighborhood described Yanelli as kind of slow when asked about him.

Police at the local police precinct, District Seven, know Yanelli by reputation. One police

described him as a little addle-brained.

Other people said that Yanelli is a big kid with a shaved head that seemed a little slow.
The crime report is located at police headquarters in District 1. The report says that

Yanelli is charged with larceny of a motor vehicle worth more than $9,000, stealing

$10,060 in U.S. currency, and stealing three credit cards and three checks.

With the stolen money Yanelli bought two first-class airline tickets to Las Vegas for

$1,800, according to a detective that was working the case. It was also discovered that

Yanelli destroyed the checks and changed the plates on the car.

After police were contacted on the account of multiple tips from Yanellis neighbors, they

arrived at Yanellis house on Saturday. Yanellis neighbors were suspicious after seeing

Yanelli flashing a lot of money around the neighborhood.

Yanelli pleaded not guilty and was sent to Charles Street Jail where he did not post bail.

This guy [Gignac] is so stupidI have three previous larcenies of motor vehicles-all the

cars had keys in themthis is the fourth, Yanelli said. Yanelli noticed the money when

he was looking for something to blow his nose with in the glove compartment when 20s

and 50s and 100s piled out.

Although Yanelli described Gignac as an idiot for leaving his wallet in the car,

everybody else, even the policemen, says that Yanelli was dumb to keep the car and that

he should have ditched the car as soon as he found the cash.

Yanelli said his motive for taking the car was for A joyride. Just to take the car. Its a

habit with me. When asked if he had a good time, Yanelli said Yeah. It was great. I love

flashing 100s around. I spent it on true friends, though.

After driving the car around town to buy things such as clothes, TVs, four Beatles tapes,

and jewelry, with the stolen money, Yanelli hid the car in Lynn and went home.

Two police, who were already familiar with Yanelli, arrived at Yanellis house Saturday

night and told him that he might as well admit to doing the crime. Yanelli gave them the

rest of the money and told them where the car was located.

Yanelli admitted to the theft in deposition and said he spent the money he found. He

turned over $2,682 in cash and $1,972 worth of plane tickets.

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