New Haven police: More than $73,000 worth of items stolen from car left with hospital valet

Police are investigating the alleged theft this week of more than $73,000 in jewels, cash, electronics and religious items from inside a vehicle left with a valet service at Yale New Haven Hospital. Police are investigating the alleged theft this week of more than $73,000 in jewels, cash, electronics and religious items from inside a vehicle left with a valet service at Yale New Haven Hospital. Photo: Ramzi Musallam / Contributed Photo Photo: Ramzi Musallam / Contributed Photo Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close New Haven police: More than $73,000 worth of items stolen from car left with hospital valet 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

NEW HAVEN — Police are investigating the alleged theft this week of more than $73,000 in jewels, cash, electronics and religious items from inside a vehicle left with a valet service at Yale New Haven Hospital.

Police were called to the hospital on Wednesday and spoke with the alleged victim, who stated he was visiting from Dupont, Pennsylvania, and had left his red Cadillac a day earlier with the valet service at 904 Howard Ave. Based on his report to police, he had left a significant amount of cash and valuables inside the vehicle when he left it, police said.

The victim told police that when he returned to his car, the valuable items were missing, according to police spokesman Officer David Hartman. The victim listed by police has the same name as the Orthodox priest who is chief executive officer of the Flight 93 Memorial Chapel in Pennsylvania.

Flight 93 crashed in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 11, 2001, on of four planes hijacked by terrorists and used as missiles.

Among the items missing, he told police, were the man’s house keys, bank checks with the account name “Flight 93 Memorial Church Complex Foundation Inc.”; a black HP computer valued at approximately $1,000; a white iPad Pro valued at $800; a pectoral cross made out of 21-carat gold valued at approximately $14,000; a gold religious staff valued at $7,000; a 21-carat gold bishop’s ring with an amethyst stone valued at $12,000; a black PlayStation 4 with six unknown games valued at $350; a chalice and communion paten set valued at $15,000; an 18-carat gold chain and cross valued at approximately $500; a bishop`s vestment valued at $6,500; a bishop`s crown valued at $4,500; a blessing cross valued at $300; a black Samsonite suit case containing church documents valued at $350, and a black Nintendo Switch with the game "Sweepy" valued at $360.

The victim also reported that he had locked the glove compartment prior to handing over the car. From there, he said, $9,000 and other items were taken.

The victim stated the thief missed the $30,000 worth of jewels he’d left in the trunk.

Chapel operators describe the site as “a spiritual memorial and perpetual tribute in honor of the Heroes of Flight 93, and all others who perished September 11, 2001.”

The vehicle had been moved from the lot prior to the police being called, Hartman said. Detectives from the department’s Bureau of Identification responded to process the vehicle for fingerprint evidence.