Crime & Safety

Crimes and Fires: Animal Neglect, Fugitive Caught, Murder

A look at recent crime and fire headlines.

Here are some of the top crime and fire stories from across Long Island over the past week. 

Queens Village Men Arrested for String of Gas Station Robberies

Nassau County Police have arrested two Queens Village men for a strong of gas station robberies in March 2013 around Nassau County.
According to detectives, Ravinder Dharamshot, 32, and Umair Farooq, 24, committed robberies six different gas stations. 
Brooklyn Man Sentenced to 25 Years For North Bellmore Home Invasion
Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced on Wednesday that the final defendant in a violent 2011 home invasion in North Bellmore received a maximum sentence of 25 years.

Gustavo Arroyo, 35, was sentenced to 25 years in upstate prison by Judge Alan L. Honorof.  
Cops: Man Beaten, Robbed Behind RVC Home

Police are hunting three men who reportedly robbed a man on a Rockville Centre street Saturday, according to Nassau detectives.

Cops said the victim, 22, met an acquaintance at 2:50 p.m. on Shellbank Place and had a brief conversation before two other men pulled up in a car. The victim began to run away, but was caught by the three subjects behind a house on Shellbank Place, police said. The three men punched the victim and took an iPhone and cash from him, cops reported.

Transcripts Say Man Admitted to Murdering 13-Year-Old

Robert Golub, convicted killer of his 13-year-old neighbor, Kelly Tinyes, reportedly confessed his crime last month at a hearing.

Find out what's happening in Rockville Centrewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Golub, 46, was convicted in 1990 of beating, sexually assaulting, and strangling Tinyes, who lived on his street in Valley Stream. Police said her body was found in a sleeping bag hidden in Golub's basement under the stairs.

Glen Cove Fugitive Apprehended After Year and a Half Pursuit

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A fugitive wanted for attempted murder in a July 2012 shooting was apprehended by the long arm of the law on Wednesday.

On July 12, 2012 shots rang out at 246 Glen Street when police say John Lembo, 47, fired on two victims, hitting one in the neck and causing extensive internal injuries. Lembo left the area immediately after the incident and couldn't be located –up until now.

Glen Cove Police Detective Chris Albin, investigating the case with the New York/New Jersey- U.S. Marshalls Fugitive Task Force, located and arrested Lembo in Brooklyn on Wednesday after a year and a half pursuit.

Police: Husband Finds Wife Murdered in Their Medford Home

A Medford woman was found dead in her home by her husband Monday night in what Suffolk Police are classifying as a murder. 

Police said Fifth Precinct officers were called to the home located at 5 Norway Pine Drive around 8:30 p.m. after Eric Connelly, 47, discovered his wife, Bonnie Farrell, 45, dead in their bedroom. 

Farrell had suffered a head injury and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Police did not say specifically how Farrell may have been killed or if there are any suspects in the case. 

Police: Deer Park Woman Left Pit Bulls Chained to Tree, Cited for Animal Neglect

A Deer Park woman has been cited for animal neglect after police say she left her two "severely emaciated" pit bulls chained to a tree in her backyard. 

According to police, First Precinct officer James Johnson responded to 61 Lincoln Avenue on Sunday after a 911 caller reported that the pit bulls were being neglected. 

When Johnson arrived, he found the two dogs, Nina and Papa, severely emaciated and chained to a tree in the yard, police said. 

Dix Hills Man Indicted on Wire, Fraud Charges

A Dix Hill man was arraigned in federal court Tuesday morning, on wire and mail fraud charges in connection to a Ponzi scheme totaling more than $5 million after he told investors they would be financing wholesale cigarette purchases on behalf of a Shinnecock Nation tobacco shop.

A 14-count indictment against Robert Rocco, 48, was unsealed in United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York in Central Islip. 

Flames Erupt at Commack Eatery

A kitchen fire broke out Wednesday at a Spanish-American restaurant on Commack Road.

Chief Rich Myers said that the fire began in the kitchen of Speedy Ray Taco and Grill, in the rear of the restaurant, located at 195 Commack Road, and spread up a wall and into the roof area around 11 a.m.

Cops: Riverhead Man Nabbed After Gunpoint Hold-Up

A Riverhead man was arrested on Wednesday and charged with holding up a victim at gunpoint, police said.

According to Riverhead Town Police, Julian R. Williams, 18, was arrested at 4:10 p.m. after police said they received a report of a robbery that had taken place on Wednesday near Delores Avenue in Riverhead.

Cops: Bay Shore Man Facing DWI Charge Found Asleep at State Police Barracks

New York State troopers didn’t have to travel far to process a man they say was drunk at the wheel Tuesday night.

That's because they found him sleeping in a running car at about 11:45 p.m. outside of the police barracks in Brentwood, according to state police.

Juan Molina, 39, of Bay Shore, who is now facing a DWI charge, was parked in a visitor space with car headlights on and engine running, according to police. 



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