Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Zengguo Chen has been charged with burglary, grand larceny, assault and other crimes in connection with a pattern of home burglaries that took place between October and February. Chen is alleged to have entered homes through windows and taken jewelry and other items.

District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged in the complaints, this defendant went on a four-month burglary spree and targeted houses across Queens County. Thanks to the NYPD, this defendant was apprehended on Tuesday night as he attempted to burglarize yet another home in Forest Hills. This investigation is very much ongoing and additional charges are likely. On behalf of the entire District Attorney’s office, I send my best wishes to the officers who are recuperating from injuries suffered during the arrest.”

Chen, 35, of 58^th Street in Brooklyn, was arraigned last night on three different criminal complaints together charging him with seven counts of burglary in the second degree, two counts of assault in the second degree, three counts of grand larceny in the third degree, attempted burglary, criminal mischief, seven counts of possession of burglary’s tools, obstructing governmental administration in the second degree, resisting arrest and criminal trespass in the third degree.

Judge Anthony Battisti ordered Chen to return to court February 28. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison on each count of burglary in the second degree.

DA Katz said that according to the charges:

• On October 1, 2024, between approximately 2:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. the next day, Chen entered a home on 177th Street in Fresh Meadows. When the homeowner returned, she noticed a bedroom window and back door were unlocked and that several pieces of jewelry worth more than $3,000 were missing. Also missing were keys to her car and a safety deposit box.
• On October 4, 2024, between approximately 6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Chen entered a home on 212th Street in Hollis Hills through a side window. When the homeowner returned, he noticed that jewelry, designer handbags and a gold bar in total worth more than $3,000 were missing.
• On October 13, 2024, between approximately 11 a.m. and 10 p.m., Chen entered a home on 215th Street in Hollis Hills by breaking a side window. The owner reported a necklace worth more than $3,000 was missing.
• On November 16, 2024, between approximately 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., Chen entered a home on 149th Street in Whitestone through a first-floor bathroom window and set off an alarm inside. When the homeowner returned from vacation, he noticed the lock on the window had been broken.
• On December 4, 2024, at approximately 7:30 p.m., broke into a home on 213th Street in Bayside through a first-floor window.
• On January 12, between approximately 9:30 a.m. and 5:45 p.m., Chen entered a home on Kent Street in Jamaica Estates and climbed down from the second story window. That same day, between approximately 6:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m., Chen removed a window screen from a home on Midland Parkway in Jamaica Estates in an attempt to break into the home before he fled.
• On February 3, at approximately 8:40 p.m., Chen entered the gated front and backyards of a home on Olive Place in Forest Hills. That same evening, at approximately 9 p.m., Chen entered the backyard of a home on Harrow Street in Forest Hills and carried a piece of lawn furniture to the side yard. He placed it under a bathroom window. The homeowner, who was inside the house, noticed that the previously closed window was open and called 911. A few minutes later, at approximately 9:15 p.m., an NYPD officer and sergeant saw Chen walking on nearby Fleet Street and attempted to stop him. Chen ran and when the officers caught up to him, the defendant flailed his arms and legs and resisted arrest. The officers sustained injuries in the chase and subsequent struggle and were taken to a local hospital for treatment. A flashlight, rope, chisel, wrench, crowbar, screwdriver and gloves were recovered from a bag belonging to Chen.

Assistant District Attorney Samuel Pellegrino of the District Attorney’s Career Criminal Major Crimes Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Michael Whitney, Bureau Chief, and Roni C. Piplani, Deputy Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney of Major Crimes Shawn Clark.