A 21 year old fashion model has been arrested and charged in connection with a brazen late night burglary at a luxury boutique in SoHo that prosecutors say resulted in the theft of more than one million dollars in designer merchandise. Authorities allege that Abdallah Diaby was part of a four person crew that broke into the high end 4Gseller store on Spring Street in Manhattan on December 1 in what the shop’s owner described as a meticulously planned operation.
According to prosecutors, surveillance footage captured masked individuals entering the boutique and removing large quantities of premium fashion items. The stolen goods reportedly included approximately 20 Saint Laurent jackets, 30 luxury handbags, 20 designer belts and several exclusive custom pieces from sought after labels such as Chrome Hearts. The total value of the merchandise taken was estimated at over one million dollars, placing the incident among the more significant retail thefts in the area in recent months.
The boutique’s owner, Tommy Macari, told local media that the suspects appeared organized and deliberate. He said the group wore construction style clothing and headlamps and allegedly dropped merchandise from a balcony level to accomplices below, where items were quickly loaded into a waiting vehicle. The execution, he said, resembled a scene from a film, with a lookout and a getaway driver stationed outside to coordinate the escape.
Diaby, who grew up in the Bronx and works as a professional model, was taken into custody on February 19. He is represented by TWO MGMT, a New York based agency known for booking talent in advertising campaigns and catalog work. Prosecutors allege that security camera footage and investigative leads linked him to the incident, though three additional suspects remain at large. Law enforcement officials have said the search for the remaining individuals is ongoing.
He was arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court on charges including grand larceny, burglary and criminal possession of stolen property. Following the arraignment, the court ordered his release without bail but under supervised conditions. The decision has drawn criticism from some members of the business community and law enforcement advocates who argue that high value theft cases should carry stricter pretrial conditions.
Under current New York criminal justice statutes, bail eligibility is limited for certain non violent offenses, including many theft related charges. Judges are required to apply the law as written, which in many cases restricts the use of cash bail. Defense attorney Ollen argued in court that Diaby had voluntarily returned to New York from a modeling assignment in California to surrender to authorities, suggesting that he posed no flight risk. He stated that if his client had intended to evade arrest, he would not have come back to face the charges.
The case has sparked broader debate over retail crime in New York City and the balance between criminal justice reform and public safety. Business owners in high traffic shopping districts such as SoHo have repeatedly raised concerns about organized theft rings targeting luxury stores. Industry groups have also pointed to the resale market for designer goods as a factor that can incentivize large scale theft operations.
While Diaby has been released pending trial, the charges against him remain serious. If convicted, he could face substantial penalties under New York law. Prosecutors have not publicly detailed the full scope of the evidence they intend to present, and Diaby has not entered a plea beyond the initial arraignment proceedings.
For now, authorities continue to search for the three other suspects allegedly involved in the break in. The case underscores ongoing tensions between retailers seeking stronger deterrence measures and a legal framework that limits pretrial detention for many non violent offenses. As proceedings move forward, the spotlight will remain not only on the accused model but also on how the justice system navigates high profile property crime cases in one of the world’s most closely watched fashion districts.
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