Crime & Safety

Crimes Nearby: Search for Gunman Continues, Heroin Bust

A look at crimes in the towns surrounding Mineola.

The following arrest information was supplied by several local police departments. A criminal charge is only an accusation and does not indicate convictions.

Woodbury 

A Middletown man was arrested in Woodbury on Sept. 23 at 7:35 a.m. According to detectives, Shaune Rooks, 44, while employed as a mechanic at BMT Automotive at 846 Main Street in South Farmingdale ordered vehicle parts on the business account and installed them in customer’s cars on several dates. Rooks then demanded to be paid in cash and would issue an invoice to the customer and void the invoice in the business’ computer system. The loss was in excess of $15,000. The defendant surrendered to detectives. Rooks was charged with third degree grand larceny and was arraigned at First District Court in Hempstead on Sept. 24.

Hicksville

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Robbery Squad detectives are investigating a burglary that occurred on Sept. 26 at 5:42 a.m. in Hicksville. According to detectives, an unknown subject entered Smith Pharmacy at 53 North Broadway by breaking the glass on the front door using a cinder block. Missing from within the store is an undetermined amount of pharmaceuticals. Detectives request anyone with information regarding this burglary to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous. 

Oyster Bay

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A fatal auto accident that occurred on Sept. 23 at 7:10 a.m. in Oyster Bay. According to detectives, while conducting the duties of his employment as a Town of Oyster Bay Department of Sanitation worker, Steven Giacobello, 45, of Westbury was struck by an approaching vehicle in front of 39 West Main St. The victim, after emptying refuse containers into the truck’s compactor, attempted to return into the vehicle’s driver seat. As he was walking along the driver’s side of the truck he was struck by a 2007 BMW which was driven by a 25-year old Bayville woman who approached from the rear traveling eastbound. The victim, who suffered severe head trauma as a result of the accident, was transported to a local hospital and a short time later was pronounced deceased by a staff physician. A brake and safety check was performed on BMW at the scene. No charges are pending at this time.

Bethpage

Narcotics/Vice Squad detectives arrested a 30-year old man for criminal sale and possession of heroin in Bethpage on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 10 p.m. According to detectives, Nicholas Callegari, while at his residence, sold heroin to another person for an undisclosed amount of money. On Sept. 24, detectives placed Callegari under arrest at his residence. He is being charged with third degree criminal sale controlled substance, third degree criminal possession controlled substance and was arraigned on Sept. 25 in First District Court, Hempstead.

Franklin Square

The Crimes Against Property Squad reports the arrest of an Elmont woman for forgery that occurred on Friday, July 25 at 2:12 p.m.

According to detectives, Keneshia Flash, 32, fraudulently deposited 10 altered USPS money orders totaling $10,000 and one counterfeit check in the amount of $2,500 into her Chase bank account. The deposits were made in various Nassau and Brooklyn bank locations between Saturday, July 19 and Friday, July 25. During this time Flash allegedly also made several ATM and over the counter withdrawals resulting in a loss to Chase bank. The bank locations were as follows:

  • July 19: 654 Franklin Avenue , Franklin Square
  • July 22: 1599 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
  • July 23: 1644 Dutch Broadway , Elmont,
  • July 24: 654 Franklin Avenue, Franklin Square
  • July 25: 654 Franklin Avenue, Franklin Square

Flash surrendered herself to police on Sept. 24. She was charged with four counts of second degree possession of a forged instrument, and third degree grand larceny. She was arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead on Sept. 25.

A Franklin Square man was arrested in Franklin Square on Sept. 22 at 5:30 a.m. on DWI charges. According to police, a Fourth Precinct police officer had taken a 40-year old male into custody for driving with a suspended license and placed him in the rear of a marked police vehicle at Hempstead Turnpike and Euston Road. The officer then entered the car and was seated in the drivers seat when the vehicle was struck in the rear by a 2001 Hyundai traveling westbound on Hempstead Turnpike. Subsequent investigation revealed the operator, Jose Martinez, 22, was operating under the influence of an alcoholic beverage and he was taken into custody. Police then recovered two bags of a substance believed to be marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the center console of the defendant’s vehicle. The Hyundai was then impounded. The officer and 40-year old male were removed to a local hospital where they were treated and released. The male was then transported to the Fourth Precinct where his arrest processing was completed. Martinez was charged with second degree reckless endangerment, two counts of driving while intoxicated, aggravated driving while intoxicated, unlawful possession of marijuana and several violations of the vehicle and traffic law. He was arraigned at First District Court in Hempstead on Sept. 23.

Floral Park

A Floral Park man was arrested on Sept. 23, 2013 at 9 p.m. in Floral Park. According to detectives, Kevin Banos, 24, was the subject of a narcotics investigation. On Aug. 23, 2013, while inside 224 Jericho Turnpike at 6:50 p.m., Banos allegedly possessed and sell a quantity of MDMA (ecstasy) to undercover detectives. On Aug. 29, 2013, while inside the same address at 6:20 p.m., Banos possessed and sold quantities of MDMA and marihuana to undercover detectives. On Sept. 23, 2013 at 9 p.m., members of the CIRRT Task Force and detectives from the Floral Park Police Department located Banos at his residence and placed him under arrest without incident. During a consent search of the residence, detectives recovered quantities of cocaine, MDMA and marihuana. Also seized was a digital scale, narcotic packaging material, a loaded Remington 870 Tactical shotgun and $1,401 in cash. Banos is charged with two counts of second degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, four counts of third degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and third degree criminal sale of marihuana. He was arraigned in First District Court, Hempstead on Sept. 24.

Garden City

On Sept. 23, officers arrested a female 17-year-old from New Hyde Park for the theft of $566 in assorted clothing from Lord & Taylor.

On Sept. 23 an officer stopped a vehicle for traveling 45 mph in a 30-mph zone on Stratford Avenue and subsequently arrested the driver, a 53-year-old New Hyde Park man, for driving while with a license suspended for a prior DWI arrest and speeding.

More than 100 law enforcement officials continue to search the Philipstown area of western Putnam County for East Garden City gunman Sang Ho Kim, whose getaway car was spotted late Wednesday along Route 9D just north of the Village of Cold Spring, near Sandy Beach State Park.

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