Police link Cary, Raleigh pizza break-ins

Michael John Spero, 28, of 1300 Maroubra Loop in Cary, was charged Tuesday with breaking and entering, attempted breaking and entering and larceny in connection with an Oct. 30 break-in at New York Pizza, at 6458 Wellingborough Drive, and an attempt to break in to Brooklyn Boys, at 1260 Northwest Maynard Road, on Oct. 22.

Anthony Masino, owner of New York Pizza, said Monday that Spero worked for him for as an assistant manager before going to work at Brooklyn Boys.

More charges are possible, a Cary police spokesman said.

Detectives are also investigating Spero in four other similar crimes since Oct. 20 in which someone broke into pizza restaurants and took money that had been hidden.

In each case, police said the culprit entered the back doors of the businesses, appeared to know where to go to get cash and was then out in a matter of seconds.

Raleigh police arrested Spero and Rachael Megan Larocca, 28, of 4024 Fern Meadow Drive in Cary, early Monday morning after a break-in at Teddy's Pizza & Pasta at 5563 Western Blvd.

According to a search warrant returned Tuesday for a 2004 Honda Civic registered to Leslie Larocca, a Cary police officer had suspects – the warrant doesn't specify who – in the Cary cases under surveillance when he saw the Civic pull behind Teddy's, heard an alarm and saw Spero leaving the restaurant and Larocca waiting for him in the car.

The detective contacted Raleigh police who intercepted the car at a Kmart at the corner of Western Boulevard and Blue Ridge Road and detained them.

Police searching the vehicle found several items, including a crowbar, a hammer, a rubber mallet, a pair of safety gloves, latex gloves, a black hat, a black bandanna, a backpack and a flashlight.

Spero was charged in the Raleigh case with two counts of felony breaking and entering and one count each of attempted breaking and entering, larceny and possession of burglary tools.

Larocca, who police said was also an employee at Brooklyn Brothers, faces charges of conspiracy breaking and entering and conspiracy to commit larceny.

Spero was being held in the Wake County Detention Center Tuesday morning under a $50,000 bond; Larocca was jailed under a $10,000 bond.

According to North Carolina Department of Public Safety records, Spero was serving 24 months of probation stemming from convictions in September on misdemeanor larceny and assault charges.

Larocca, who has a pending larceny charge in Lee County, was convicted in March on a misdemeanor larceny charge and received a 12-month suspended jail sentence and probation.