Crime Watch

East Rockaway resident chases man who stole shotgun

‘The neighbors watch out for each other’

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An East Rockaway man chased a suspected thief after hearing a car alarm outside his home on July 6, helping to lead Nassau County police to the man, who had allegedly stolen a shotgun and a bulletproof vest from a parked vehicle in Lynbrook.

According to police, Justin P. Hay, 30, of Sag Harbor, broke into a vehicle in Lynbrook and stole the vest, a 12-gauge shotgun and its case. Police did not provide the exact location of the theft. Hay fled on foot, they said, and made his way into East Rockaway, where he broke into a car parked in Frank Ricci’s driveway on Garfield Place shortly after 2 a.m., setting off the car alarm.

Ricci, 46, said he had just gotten home from work and was watching TV. “I heard my wife’s car alarm going off,” he said. “I see her interior lights on, and a guy running down the block.”

Ricci ran after him, heading east on Garfield Place and then south on Melrose Avenue. “I just took off running after him,” he said. “I didn’t think about it.”

Ricci caught up to Hay, who Ricci said was holding a backpack and a bulletproof vest as he tried to break into another car. He asked Hay what he was doing, and Hay responded, “Nothing, I lost something,” according to Ricci.

He asked Hay what was in the bag and Hay reached for the bag to show him.

“Once I saw the top of the rifle bag come over his right shoulder, I grabbed it,” Ricci said. Hay took off running. Ricci stopped chasing him, called 911 and gave police a detailed description of the incident.

Police responded immediately and set up a 20-car perimeter around the area.

At 2:54 a.m., a K-9 unit found Hay hiding under a barbecue grill in Seby Oliveri’s backyard on Grenville Court, police said, a few blocks from Ricci’s house.

“My dog woke me up,” Oliveri said. “I got up, looked through my windows and I see police in my driveway.

“They asked me to verify what’s on the floor [and] if it was mine, which it wasn’t.” she said. “It was a backpack, a pack of cigarettes and a wallet.” She also saw what looked like a pouch of pills, she said.

Court documents revealed that the stolen Remington 11-87 Sportsman shotgun and its camouflage case were valued at $760, and the bulletproof vest was valued at $1,000.

Hay was charged with third-degree grand larceny and two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property. He was arraigned on July 6 at First District Court in Hempstead, and bail was set at $150,000 bond or $75,000 cash.

Ricci said that one of the detectives who responded told him he made the detective’s job “very easy.” Ricci described his efforts as very much in line with the spirit of the community.

“It’s a very small neighborhood,” Ricci said. “It’s a very quiet neighborhood and the neighbors watch out for each other.”