Newlywed charged
with stealing
car air bags

Officials say Maurizio Percan
faces charges in New York City

By Lori Tighe
Star-Bulletin

The Percans' Hawaii honeymoon blew up in their faces, kind of like an air bag.

When agents found his tuxedo and her wedding dress on the bed in their Garden City, N.Y., home, along with Hawaii brochures, they swooped down on the newlyweds at the Hyatt Regency in Poipu on Kauai.

The husband, Maurizio Percan,was indicted for allegedly stealing air bags from cars in New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, then selling them in other states, including Hawaii.

Percan, 29, who faces a nine-year prison term, was denied bail by Magistrate Judge Francis Yamashita yesterday in federal court.

Due to Percan's unclear citizenship and the lengthy jail term he faces, Yamashita said he decided to deny bail. Percan is believed to be from Italy.

Percan is being held by U.S. marshals until they fly him back to New York to face the 17-count federal indictment.

Four other people were also indicted in the operation, of which Percan was the alleged leader.

FBI agents found Percan and his wife at the hotel Monday "with their bags packed ready to go," said John Pikus, supervisory special agent. Agents don't know where the Percans were headed, he said.

"The FBI has followed him since January of '95 to March of '98. He had sold 5,500 air bags taken from stolen cars in the New York area," Pikus said. "He sold them to auto body shops."

Percan owned and managed an air bag business in the Bronx called All in One, said Loretta Matsunaga, assistant U.S. attorney.

Law enforcement officers also bought air bags from Percan, Matsunaga said.

The government froze an account with $1.5 million in connection with Percan and his business, and also charged him with criminal forfeiture.