Crime Watch

People named in Crime Watch items as having been arrested and charged with violations or crimes are only suspected of committing those acts of which they are accused. They are all presumed to be innocent of those charges until and unless found guilty in a court of law.

Burglary

Fifth Squad detectives report the details of an arrest for a burglary that occurred on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 12:25 a.m. in Lynbrook.

According to detectives, the defendant, Alessandro Giannone, 41, of East Meadow, used a stone to break the glass window at La Regina Pizzeria in Lynbrook. The defendant, after breaking the window, entered the store and removed cash from the register, then fled the scene in a 1999 Ford Escort. The defendant drove off and stopped in front of Danny’s Bagels in Malverne. A Malverne police officer, aware of past burglaries at that store, observed the vehicle in front of the location. The officer saw a register draw with several magnets on it from La Regina Pizzeria and a screwdriver on the vehicles front seat.

Giannone was arrested and charged with third-degree burglary, third-degree criminal mischief, possession of burglary tools and fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property. Giannone is also being charged with three prior burglaries in Malverne and Lynbrook. He was arraigned at First District Court on Sept. 26.

Arrests

Three arrests for possession of stolen property were made on Sept. 23 in connection with a crime that occurred in Rockville Centre.

According to detectives, a security guard for King Kullen at 127 Sunrise Highway, Rockville Centre, observed the three defendants acting in concert to remove a stainless steel grocery rack from the rear of the store and load it on to the back of a rental truck.  After noticing the witness, the three quickly fled in the truck westbound on Sunrise Highway. Responding to a 911 call phoned in by the security guard, Lynbrook police officers pulled the truck over on Sunrise Highway, at Rockaway Avenue inValley Stream, where the defendants were arrested. They are identified as Christopher Smith, 28, of Howard Beach; Robert Tschuschke, 41, of Ozone Park and Dana Karl, 22, of Howard Beach.

A follow-up investigation by the 5th Precinct resulted in the recovery of 21 steel carts, valued at $22,800, from the rental truck. Also recovered from the truck were receipts that led detectives to a scrap metal dealer in Brooklyn, from which an additional 150 stolen milk and grocery carts were recovered. The value of those carts was estimated by their owner, Tuscan Farms, at approximately $180,000.

The three defendants are charged with one count each of second-degree criminal possession of stolen property and petit larceny.  They were arraigned on Sept. 24 in First District Court, Hempstead. 

Damage to property

n On Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m., the front window at DRH Fitness on 131 N. Main St. in East Rockaway was broken.

n On Sept. 25 at 8 p.m., the rear window of a 2000 Honda was broken. The car was parked on Centre Avenue in East Rockaway.

Petit Larceny

n On Sept. 23 between 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m., a set of tools were taken from the driveway of a residence on Manor Road.

n On Sept. 22, a GPS was stolen from a car in a Union Place driveway. It was valued at $300. On the same date a GPS was stolen from a Spencer Avenue driveway.