Frank Renda

Frank Renda was a Colombo Family associate allied with Family soldier Vincent (Peg-Leg) Giordano. He was active in theft, bookmaking, shylocking, and vending machine rackets.

Frank Renda was born in 1912. He lived at 28 Market Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. By the 1940s, he had relocated to 84-01 Doran Avenue in Glendale, Queens. By the mid-1960s, he had moved to 1 Joel Court in Suffolk County’s Lake Ronkonkoma section.

Authorities identified him as a Colombo Family associate, allied under/with Family soldier Vincent (Peg-Leg Jimmy) Giordano.

Frank Renda

His activities included organized auto theft, bookmaking, pinball machines, and shylocking.

Renda operated in the used car industry. In fact, for years, he owned and operated a used car lot in Huntington Station. Renda seemed to have an affinity for automobiles. He was a prime suspect in several stolen car investigations, repeatedly indicted in 1953 and again in 1956.

Largest Car Theft Ring in the Nation

His arrest record spanned decades and included 12 arrests for possession of a gun, bookmaking (5 times), interstate auto theft (twice), criminally receiving stolen property, assault, and operating pinball machines, which years ago was an illegal racket because they would pay off prizes or money if won.

Renda had convictions for bookmaking (five times) and interstate theft (six months in jail).

In the 1953 case, Renda was one of 14 men arrested for what federal authorities called a multi-million dollar interstate stolen-car racket. The ring kingpin, Gabriel (Bla Bla) Vigorito was an old-time mobster connected to several Families, most notably the Genovese crew.

Renda was considered a key operative. Vigorito’s sons Freddy and John (Jumbo) and nephew Sabato Vigorito were also arrested in this case.

Then in 1956, he was again indicted with 17 others in what the FBI called one of the largest car theft rings in the nation. U.S. Attorney Peter Passalacqua alleged the ring stole and then sold more than 1,000 automobiles between 1945 and 1953.

Authorities alleged that ring members would steal and drive the cars to “workrooms” in Jamaica and Massapequa, where they would be “remodeled” and then quickly disposed of by used car dealers. No wonder Renda always owed used car lots. LOL!

By the late 1970s, Renda was already nearing 70, and no more was heard from him. No dod was available.

Postscript: What I thought was a funny postscript to Renda’s profile and worth sharing was back when he was in his 30s, he was arrested for the theft of 130 live pigeons. Some were recovered by police, but the rest stayed unaccounted for, with police stating they feared Renda might have had pigeon pie recently!

Until next time..."The Other Guy!"

Frank Renda

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Frank Renda

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