A Southbury man accused of writing bad checks to purchase classic Chevrolet cars from two area residents is a "one-man crime spree" with a history of larceny convictions covering several states and dating back to 1985, according to a New London prosecutor.

Steven M. Shapiro, 63, appeared in Superior Court Wednesday on two charges of first-degree larceny. 

State police and Ledyard police allege that Shapiro, while acting as a broker for Plainville businesses identified in court documents as International Motorcars and International Motor Car Classics, wrote bad checks for a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette and a 1969 Chevrolet Nova Super Sport over the summer.

Prosecutor Stephen M. Carney asked Judge Hillary B. Strackbein to increase Shapiro's bond from $85,000, saying he had reviewed Shapiro's record and found 15 previous larceny cases, some in New York and Pennsylvania, along with a 2013 conviction in Milford for which Shapiro received a conditional discharge.

Carney said Shapiro had even written a bad check, in the amount of $2,500, to an attorney who had initially agreed to take his case but is now considering filing charges.

"I see no reason he should be out and victimizing other people," Carney argued.

Defense attorney Jerome Paun argued that Shapiro had not been charged with crimes for many years following the 1980s incidents.

"For many years, he has lived and lived legally," Paun said. "There have been some problems recently, and those will be resolved in this court."   

Judge Hillary B. Strackbein placed Shapiro on electronic monitoring, told him he could write only certified checks or money orders and ordered him to tell any prospective clients of his criminal record and the pending charges.

She said she would increase the bond if there's another incident.

The Corvette owner, a Ledyard resident, told police Shapiro and associate Joseph Amodio contacted him to ask if they could help him sell the car after seeing it advertised online.

He said he agreed they could keep any profit over $35,000. Shapiro told the man a Wolcott man purchased the car in July.

The man said he signed a bill of sale provided by Shapiro and that it was not necessary to provide a title due to the age of the car. 

Shapiro gave the seller a personal check for $35,000, but when the seller took it to the bank, he was told there were insufficient funds in Shapiro's account.

Shapiro continued to assure the man that he was "getting the money together," saying he had given some of it to the Internal Revenue Service, some to his son and spent the rest on a car deal in Pennsylvania.

The other victim, whose address is unavailable, told state trooper Steve Loiler, who is assigned to Troop E in Montville, that in June, Shapiro gave him two bad checks totaling $24,000 after serving as the broker for his Chevrolet Nova.

The man said he kept asking Shapiro when the money would be available and Shapiro "basically would make a new excuse every time I called."

Shapiro's next court date is March 4.

k.florin@theday.com

Twitter: @KFLORIN