Richard DiNome was born to Italian-American emigrants in Pigtown, Brooklyn. He was involved in stealing cars and worked at a chop shop in Staten Island, stripping cars for automobile parts. On an average day DiNome stole 60 to 70 cars from the rich neighborhoods in Brooklyn. He was known among criminal associates as an expert auto mechanic. He professed pure happiness when he was asked to work with his brother Frederick DiNome in his stolen car ring.