Crime

Police: Elmont man torches five cars

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An Elmont man was arrested and charged with setting five cars ablaze and vandalizing two others around the village over the course of an hour and a half early on the morning of May 26, Nassau County police said.

According to detectives, Juan F. Perez, 37, of Keller Avenue, broke into seven cars and stole contents from each of them between 3:25 and 5 a.m. He torched five of the vehicles, including three on Stone Street, one on Terrace Avenue and one on Steele Street. Another vehicle, parked near one of the cars that was burned, sustained radiant heat damaged, police said.

The cars that burned on Stone Street were a 2001 Mercedes Benz, a 2008 Infiniti and a 2009 Toyota, all SUVs. A 2014 Infiniti was set on fire on Steele Street, and a 2012 Nissan was torched on Terrace Avenue, according to police.

Perez damaged two other vehicles as well, officials said, breaking windows and slashing seats with a box cutter before stealing contents from them.

According to the police report, while Perez was in the process of breaking into a 2014 Infiniti on the corner of Steele Street and Lincoln Street, the 32-year-old owner of the vehicle, who was on his way to work, confronted him. Perez attempted to strike the man, and a fight ensued. During the confrontation, the Infiniti caught fire as a result of Perez’s tampering, but its owner managed to subdue him until police arrived. Perez sustained some injuries and was taken to a local hospital, but has since been released, police said.

After the fight, much of what Perez had allegedly stolen was recovered on the street and sidewalk by police. He was still in possession of stolen goods when he was arrested, and appeared intoxicated, according to police.

“It was an hour and a half of him going through cars,” NCPD Detective Lt. Richard Lebrun at a press conference last Thursday, adding that police had not yet determined Perez’s motive for burning the vehicles.

The incidents were being investigated by the NCPD’s arson and bomb squad. Lebrun urged residents to be aware of damage to cars in their communities during the summer months, when many people are away on vacation.

Police had not identified the method that Perez used to burn the vehicles. He was charged with arson and numerous counts of felony mischief, and was scheduled to be arraigned on May 27.