Suffolk County Police detectives are investigating a pattern of deception larcenies during which at least four people are targeting and stealing from women in retail parking lots since last month.
A woman was in the parking lot of Costco, located at 10 Garet Place in Commack, on August 10 at 3:25 p.m. when she was approached by a man who asked for directions. When the woman entered her vehicle, she realized her wallet was missing from the passenger seat. The woman went back into Costco to see if someone had returned her wallet and saw the man accompanied by another male at the entrance of the store. They fled when they saw her.
An investigation has determined nine similar deception larcenies during which a victim was approached by an individual asking for directions while a second person stole credit cards.
The thefts occurred in the following parking lots:
* Costco, 125 Beacon Dr., Holbrook, on July 30 at 4 p.m.
* Costco, 3000 Route 25, Nesconset, on July 30 at 2:33 p.m.
* Bed, Bath & Beyond, 3083 Jericho Turnpike, East Northport, on July 21 at 1:30 p.m.
* Costco, 10 Garet Place, Commack, on July 21 at 2:38 p.m.
* Costco, 625 Broadhollow Road, Melville, July 21 at 12:45 p.m.
* Costco, 625 Broadhollow Road, Melville, July 16 at 2:15 p.m.
* Costco, 10 Garet Place, Commack, on July 16 at 2:30 p.m.
* Costco, 10 Garet Place, Commack, on July 14 at 4:25 p.m.
* Costco, 625 Broadhollow Road, Melville, on July 14 at 2:30 p.m.
In some cases, there were two female suspects and a male suspect. One female suspect has been described as possibly pregnant. Another female was described as tall, thin, and nicely dressed. One of the males was described as dark-skinned, between 5 feet 7 inches tall and 5 feet 8 inches tall and of Indian or Eastern European descent.
Suffolk County Police Department’s 6th Precinct held its monthly community meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 9, at the precinct’s headquarters in Selden, addressing a number of pressing public safety concerns.
The meeting was hosted by Deputy Inspector Eric D’Agostino, who discussed the crime statistics of the towns within the 6th Precinct during the month of July.
A total of 597 crimes were reported to the precinct in July, a 2.2% increase from the 584 crimes reported in July of 2021. The crimes included one homicide, three robberies, nine aggravated assaults, 10 grand larceny autos and 14 burglaries.
The community meeting also touched upon the alarming new crime trend of catalytic converter theft from cars, specifically Honda CRVs, Honda Accords and Ford trucks. These incidents have taken place in all Suffolk police precincts and have occurred at residential and commercial locations.
Additionally, single vehicles and large commercial fleets have both been targeted. These crimes currently include multiple persons of interest. [To read more about this crime phenomenon, see TBR News Media story, “Catalytic converter theft on the rise in Suffolk County,” Feb. 24 this year.]
In July, three robberies were reported to the 6th Precinct, two of which occurred in Miller Place, the other in Setauket. There were also two trigger pulls last month, but nobody was shot. This figure represents a drop from the five reported pulled triggers and six shot during July of last year.
The police department is also investigating a series of 15 burglaries at gas stations throughout the county. Most incidents captured a man in a Dodge Caravan pulling up to the establishments, and he was arrested.
D’Agostino also discussed the Multi-agency ATV Task Force. Last month, 11 ATVs were impounded, bringing the year-to-date total up to 39, and 15 ATV summonses were issued, bringing the annual-to-date total up to 56.
There were 30 drug overdoses in July, with only one fatality. Of the overdoses, 22 were by men, and eight by women. This was a slight decrease from last July, when there were 34 drug overdoses, with one fatality.
From June 30 to July 29, there were 10 vehicles stolen, five of which were recovered while the other five remain missing. D’Agostino reminded community members to never leave their key fobs in unlocked cars, along with anything that can be perceived to be valuable.
He suggested keeping cars in garages if possible, or parking them in well-lit areas to deter thieves from trying to steal the catalytic converters. In order to protect homes, he recommended putting out alarm signs, installing floodlights and making sure that all doors are locked.
The following incidents have been reported by Suffolk County Police:
Commack
■ A shoplifter was reported at Target located on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack on Aug. 4. A person allegedly stole a variety of trading cards valued at $110.
Dix Hills
■ Kings Landscaping of Huntington reported that an unknown person stole a lawnmower valued at $5,000 and a blower valued at $400 from a trailer while the landscaping crew were working in the backyard of a home on Caledonia Road in Dix Hills on Aug. 3.
■ A 2021 Range Rover worth $50,000 was stolen from a resident on Butternut Court in Dix Hills on Aug. 3. The car had been left running in the driveway.TBR News
East Northport
■ A 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee was stolen from the driveway of a resident on Gail Court in East Northport on Aug. 3. The vehicle, valued at $15,000, was later recovered in Nassau County.
East Setauket
■ Walmart on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket called the police on Aug. 2 to report that a man allegedly stole an air fryer valued at $160.
Huntington Station
■ Macy’s on Walt Whitman Road reported that on Aug. 5 a man allegedly reached over the jewelry counter, grabbed a diamond necklace valued at $15,000 from a salesperson, and fled the store.
■ Saks 5th Avenue on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington Station reported that two men used sleight of hand with the cashier to net $2,600 on Aug. 6.
Kings Park
■ A Kings Park man was arrested on Aug. 9 for allegedly burglarizing more than a dozen businesses including gas stations, restaurants, smoke shops and liquor stores throughout Suffolk County since May. During the burglaries, the man allegedly stole cash, liquor, cigarettes, vaping products and lottery tickets.
Lake Grove
■ Old Navy at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove reported that two women allegedly stole assorted kids and baby clothing valued at approximately $600 on Aug. 2.
■ Dick’s Sporting Goods at the Smith Haven Mall reported that a person allegedly stole four Yeti cooler bags worth $600 on Aug. 4.
Melville
■ Dick’s Sporting Goods on Walt Whitman Road in Melville reported a grand larceny on Aug. 4. A man allegedly stole assorted men’s Nike clothing valued at approximately $1800.
■ A woman shopping at Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace on Walt Whitman Road in Melville reported that her wallet was stolen from her pocketbook which had been placed in her shopping cart.
Port Jefferson Station
■ A 2019 Nissan Sentra valued at $23,000 was stolen from in front of a resident on Huron Street in Port Jefferson Station on Aug. 3. The keys had been left inside the car.
■ A catalytic converter was stolen from a 2007 Honda Accord parked in front of a residence on Montrose Drive in Port Jefferson Station on Aug. 5. The part was valued at $800.
Setauket
■ Pantaleons Farm on Route 25A in Setauket called the police on Aug. 6 to report that a man allegedly stole a pot of flowers valued at $47.
South Setauket
■ Stop & Shop on Pond Path in South Setauket reported that two men and a woman allegedly stole various food items valued at approximately $600 on Aug. 6.
■ Three people allegedly stole 10 LEGO sets from Target on Pond Path in South Setauket on Aug. 4. The merchandise was valued at approximately $825.
Stony Brook
■ A 2019 BMW X3 was reported stolen from the driveway of a resident on Woodbine Avenue in Stony Brook on Aug. 3. The vehicle, valued at $38,600, was later recovered.
File photos of a fire in East Setauket from the Setauket Fire Department.
After a tragic fire broke out in Noyac, the tragedy sheds light on fire safety precautions people should consider before unpacking their bags in an unfamiliar room or home and in general.
When the Noyac fire broke out, a family of five from Maryland was on vacation, renting a single-family home. The Aug. 3 fire, in the early morning hours, claimed the lives of sisters Jillian Wiener, 21, and Lindsay Weiner, 19. Their parents Lewis and Alisa and their 23-year-old brother Zachary were able to escape with non-life-threatening injuries.
Town of Huntington chief fire marshal, Terry McNally, said in an email to TBR News Media, that residents should “make sure your home conforms to the state fire code and building code, including functioning smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.”
“Each bedroom must have a smoke detector,” he added. “There must be a means of egress to get outside from each bedroom and hallway on each level, and there must be a carbon monoxide detector on each level within 15 feet of each bedroom.”
Christopher Mehrman, chief fire marshal for the Town of Brookhaven Division of Fire Prevention, agreed and said in a phone interview it’s important to ensure a rental property follows the same codes.
The marshal added it’s important to ensure there are detectors on each floor.
“You want that early warning to be able to get out if there’s a fire,” Mehrman said.
Staying at a private home that may be included on a website such as Airbnb is different from being at a hotel and motel where they must meet stricter codes that marshals enforce, Mehrman said. He added while some municipalities might regulate Airbnbs and inspections are done, they are not as extensive as ones for corporate properties.
Mehrman said the first thing to do when vacationing anywhere is to check that there are smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and test them to see if they are working.
“If you’re in doubt, bring your own,” he said.
Many times he has conducted investigations where it’s found that the detectors aren’t working properly. He said systems that go to a central station also have a button to be able to test them.
Both fire marshals added that it’s important for people to ensure they know all the ways out of a home or building in the case of a hotel or motel. Their advice is to check for exits and for people to familiarize themselves with egress paths, including stairwells.
Mehrman added to make sure that windows do open. He said when he travels, he finds the emergency exits and counts the number of doors to the exit from his room.
“In a smoke condition in a hallway, you’re going to be down on the floor crawling to get to the exit, and that way you can count the number of doors,” Mehrman said.
When visiting hotels and motels, he also checks emergency exit doors to ensure they aren’t locked, and stairwells lead to a door outside the building.
Regarding vacationing at a private home, Mehrman said, remember not all homes are set up the same.
“Some of these houses are very large,” he said. “You don’t know what the owner has done to the house. They may have sectioned off part of it because they don’t want people in that part of the house.”
He added not to be afraid to escape from a second-floor window as the fall is not as far as it looks, especially if one dangles from the window first.
Most of all, Mehrman said always be aware that there should be a meeting spot for everyone, and people should not run back in to save anyone or pets. Fire victims also should wait until they escape the fire before calling 911.
“Evacuating everybody is the most important thing,” he said.
Suffolk County Police Sixth Squad detectives are investigating a motor vehicle crash that killed a man in Coram on Tuesday, Aug. 9.
Preston Pavlo was driving a 2020 Nissan Altima southbound on County Road 83 when the vehicle struck the rear of an unoccupied tow truck that was parked in the left lane just south of Mooney Pond Road at approximately 7:30 p.m. The tow truck was at the scene to remove a vehicle that was involved in a previous crash.
Pavlo, 83, of Mount Sinai, was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner.
The Nissan was impounded for a safety check. A Motor Carrier Safety Section unit conducted a safety check of the tow truck at the scene.
Anyone with information on the crash is asked to contact the Sixth Squad at 631-854-8652.
Suffolk County Police arrested a Kings Park man on Aug. 9 for allegedly burglarizing more than a dozen businesses throughout the county since May.
Robert Porter was sitting in an abandoned vehicle on First Avenue in Bay Shore at approximately 4 a.m. when Third Precinct Anti-Crime Officers Jeremy Reichling and John Tighe observed him in possession of cocaine.
Following an investigation by Third Squad detectives, along with First and Fifth Squad detectives, Porter was charged with burglarizing the following businesses:
* The Hero Joint, 182 West Main St., Bay Shore, on May 23 at approximately 1 a.m.
* Tequila Sunrise Wine and Liquor, 1752 Sunrise Highway, Bay Shore, on May 25 at approximately 10:30 p.m.
* DMS Smoke Shop, 190 Islip Ave., Islip, on June 19 at approximately 1:25 a.m.
* DMS Smoke Shop, 190 Islip Ave., Islip, on June 26 at approximately 11:30 p.m.
* USA Gas, 225 Higbie Lane, West Islip, on June 29 at approximately 1:55 a.m.
* Parkway Express Gas, 1490 Brentwood Road, Bay Shore, on June 29 at approximately 11:30 p.m.
* Shell, 4576 Sunrise Highway, Oakdale, on July 18 at approximately 12:55 a.m.
* D & B Beer & Smoke, 4509 Sunrise Highway North Service Road, Bohemia, on July 21 at approximately 1:30 a.m.
* Lindenhurst Smoke Shop, 50 West Montauk Highway, Lindenhurst, on July 22 at 2 a.m.
* Shell, 4576 Sunrise Highway, Oakdale, on July 25 at 4 a.m.
* D & B Beer & Smoke, 4509 Sunrise Highway North Service Road, Bohemia, on July 26 at approximately 12:45 a.m.
* Hershey’s Ice Cream Shop, 470 Union Blvd., West Islip, on July 31 at approximately 3:30 a.m.
* Bang Bang Burritos, 464 Union Blvd., West Islip, on July 31 at approximately 3:35 a.m.
* Le Belle Nail & Spa, 1201 Sunrise Highway North Service Road, Bay Shore, on August 2 at approximately 5 a.m.
During the burglaries, Porter allegedly stole cash, liquor, cigarettes, vaping products and lottery tickets.
Porter, 55, was charged with 14 counts of Burglary 3rd Degree and one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th Degree. He will be held overnight at the Third Precinct and arraigned on August 10 at First District Court in Central Islip.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Fourth Squad detectives are
seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the man who used a stolen credit card at a
gas station in Port Jefferson last month.
Photo from SCPD
A man used a stolen credit card at Sunoco, located at 240 Terryville Road, on July 20. The credit card was stolen from a wallet in an unlocked vehicle parked in a driveway in Kings Park earlier that day. The suspect drove a white BMW with damage to the driver’s
side door.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS, utilizing a mobile app
which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips, or online at www.P3Tips.com. All calls, text messages and emails will be kept confidential.
The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office and the Town of Brookhaven once again held their National Night Out event at the Fireman’s Memorial Park in Ridge.
National Night Out, an annual tradition that takes place on the first Tuesday in August, is a nationwide event that police officers participate in to raise awareness about police programs in their communities.
The Brookhaven National Night Out, the largest of its kind on the East End, opened by playing the national anthem. As hundreds of families arrived, multiple activities were being held, including tug of war, bingo and an ice cream truck that gave away free vanilla and chocolate swirls.
Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr., above. Photo by Aidan Johnson
“People always know what the police department does, but sometimes people don’t know what the Sheriff’s Office does, so we have our trucks here,” said Sgt. Paul Spinella of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. “We have our deputies here showing all the different aspects that the Sheriff’s Office is involved in, and hopefully meeting some community members.”
Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. was also on hand during the event. He spoke of the progress that his office has made in bolstering community turnout and educating the public about services offered through his office.
“The way that our National Night Out has grown from almost 250 people at the first one four years ago to now expecting over 3000 people today shows that not only are we having a positive impact on our community, but our community wants to learn more about us,” Toulon said.
The sheriff also highlighted the steps that he and his office have undertaken to build trust with the broader public.
“I think there’s pretty much a symbiotic relationship between the community and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office,” he said, adding, “I think that members of the community in Suffolk County are extremely supportive of the law enforcement community, which we are very appreciative of. We want to keep our communities safe so that each and every person can live and do the things that they freely want to do.”
One of Toulon’s goals is to establish a closer relationship between children and the police. According to him, law enforcement can offer the necessary guidance to keep children away from bad influences and motivate them to contribute to their community.
“Our goal is to really make sure that we can keep young kids on the straight and narrow path so that we can show them the positive thing to do,” he said. “Since I’ve become the sheriff, I’ve been in one to two schools per week talking to students about bullying, vaping, opioids and drugs.”
Toulon added that one of his achievements as sheriff has been bringing programs from the Sandy Hook Promise organization to all Suffolk County schools. The organization, which was started by Mark Barden and Nicole Hockley, who lost their children in the 2012 school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, aims to empower kids and adults to prevent violence in schools and their communities.
“We have taught over 30,000 faculty, teachers and students with the programs — the Start with Hello and the Say Something programs,” Toulon said. “We also engage with our middle school students with the gang resistance education and training program. We try to deter kids from engaging in any type of gang activity. We really try to really make sure that our kids are making good choices.”
While many deputies were present during the night, becoming one is no easy task. One deputy shared some of the requirements, including tests, physicals and orientations.
“It’s actually a very long process to become a deputy,” she said. “Honestly, I think it takes about a year.”
Among all of the booths set up was one for the organization New Hour, a nonprofit founded to support women who are either currently or formerly incarcerated and their families.
“We try to provide donations that include clothing, shoes, cosmetics, toiletries and any donation that we think a woman could benefit from once they’re released or once they have finished their term,” Anitria Blue, the community ambassador liaison for New Hour, said.
One of New Hour’s major programs is referred to as Empowering Methods for Effective Reentry, Growth and Engagement, or EMERGE. It is a 15-week program that allows women to meet and learn about resources that may help them. The program helps these women become more involved with the criminal and social justice systems and helps them learn to advocate for others.
While Blue felt slightly intimidated by the turnout of her former corrections officers during the event, she enjoyed the event nonetheless.
Sgt. Paul Spinella of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office. Photo by Aidan Johnson
“I had good relationships with my officers during my 17 years of incarceration,” she said. “It took a while, but they got to know me, so when I see them, I actually see humanity.”
Toulon felt a strong sense of appreciation for everyone who worked for him. “When I look at the [people] who work for me, whether they are deputy sheriffs, correctional officers or civilians, I think that they are heroes because not too many people can do what they do,” the sheriff said.
As the night went on, a feeling of community connectedness grew among everyone in attendance. “I think we want [people] to know that we’re just like them,” Spinella said. “We’re community members, too. We help the community, just like garbage men and post office [workers]. When they come up to us and ask us for help, we are there for them.”
Suffolk County Police arrested two men on Aug 6 after they robbed a man of his vehicle in Lake Grove.
A man was charging his Chevrolet Bolt in the parking lot of the Smith Haven Mall when he fell asleep and was awoken to someone searching his pockets at 2 p.m. Two men demanded money, then sprayed the victim in the face with an irritant and forced him out of the vehicle. The men fled in the victim’s vehicle.
Following an investigation, the pair were located one hour later at 7-Eleven, located at 2209 Middle Country Road, Centereach. Justin Frare was sitting in the passenger seat of the Chevrolet and Christopher Danielo was located inside the store with the victim’s credit cards. Fourth Squad detectives, assisted by Fourth and Sixth Precinct patrol officers, charged Frare, 32, of Bay Shore, and Danielo, 32, of Farmingville, with Robbery 2nd Degree, Grand Larceny 3rd Degree and Grand Larceny 4th Degree.
Frare and Danielo will be held overnight for arraignment at First District Court in Central Islip on Aug. 7..
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The following incidents have been reported by Suffolk County Police:
Commack
■ Target on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack called the police on July 24 to report that a man allegedly stole assorted Hanes T-shirts and a Norelco electric razor valued at $180.
■ Walmart on Crooked Hill Road in Commack reported a shoplifter on July 27. A man allegedly stole assorted soaps and food worth $53.
■ Home Depot on Jericho Turnpike in Commack reported a petit larceny on July 27. A man allegedly stole a Ryobi generator valued at approximately $700.
Greenlawn
■ TD Bank on Pulaski Road in Greenlawn was robbed on July 31. A man entered the bank at approximately 1:10 p.m., and handed a teller a note demanding cash. The teller complied and gave the man cash from the drawer, police said.
Huntington Station
■ Byron Martinez, 23, of Huntington Station was shot and killed after he answered a knock at the door at his home on 5th Avenue at 1:15 a.m. on Aug. 2. Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives are investigating.
■ Sunglass Hut on Walt Whitman Road in Melville reported a grand larceny on July 27. Two women entered the store and allegedly stole seven designer sunglasses with a total value of $3250.
■ Best Buy on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington Station reported a shoplifter on July 24. A man allegedly stole two Apple watches worth $825.
■ Target on East Jericho Turnpike, Huntington Station called police on July 25 to report that a man allegedly stole assorted electronics valued at $104.
Kings Park
■ CVS on East Main Street in Kings Park reported that several youths entered the store on July 24 and allegedly grabbed assorted groceries valued at $500 before fleeing on bicycles.
Melville
■ A woman shopping at Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace on Walt Whitman Road in Melville reported that someone stole her wallet from her shopping cart and attempted to use her credit cards shortly after.
■ Dick’s Sporting Goods on Walt Whitman Road in Melville reported a shoplifter on July 26. A woman allegedly stole various Nike clothing valued at approximately $900.
■ A 2013 Acura MDX was reported stolen from the driveway of a residence on Naomi Court in Melville on July 25. The keys had been left insid
Port Jefferson Station
■ A black Ancheer electric mountain bike was reported stolen from the Long Island Rail Road parking lot off Main Street in Port Jefferson Station on July 27. The bike, valued at $700, had been locked.
■ An SE Performance bicycle valued at $1,000 was reported stolen from in front of Planet Fitness on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station by an unknown man on July 27.
■ A blue and yellow bicycle valued at approximately $215 was stolen from a bike rack in front of Rite Aid on Old Town Road in Port Jefferson Station on July 26. The bicycle had been unlocked.
St. James
■ Car Tech Automotive on Middle Country Road in St. James reported that a catalytic converter valued at $900 was stolen from a 2004 Ford F230 on July 28.
Selden
■ Home Depot on Middle Country Road in Selden reported a grand larceny on July 26. A man and a woman allegedly stole $4,115 worth of electrical supplies.
■ Three men allegedly stole electrical and lighting supplies valued at approximately $2,000 from Home Depot on Middle Country Road in Selden on July 25.
South Setauket
■ Stop & Shop on Pond Path in South Setauket reported two shoplifters on July 30. A man and a woman allegedly loaded grocery and beauty items into a cart and walked out without paying. The items were valued at approximately $730.
■ Home Depot on Pond Path in South Setauket called police on July 25 to report that three men allegedly stole electrical and lighting supplies worth $2,140.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about these incidents can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.
One of Toulon’s goals is to establish a closer relationship between children and the police. According to him, law enforcement can offer the necessary guidance to keep children away from bad influences and motivate them to contribute to their community.
“We have taught over 30,000 faculty, teachers and students with the programs — the Start with Hello and the Say Something programs,” Toulon said. “We also engage with our middle school students with the gang resistance education and training program. We try to deter kids from engaging in any type of gang activity. We really try to really make sure that our kids are making good choices.”
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