Crime & Safety

Crimes Nearby: Drug Bust Leads to Crash; Wrong Way Driver Arrested

Crimes and arrests making headlines nearby this week.

A Merrick man struck a police car and utility pole with his car and was then extricated after a drug bust in North Bellmore on Tuesday, police said.

According to police, detectives were conducting a narcotics investigation on North Jerusalem Road when they saw Anthony Castano, 23, pull into a parking lot in a 1999 Infiniti.

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

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

An elderly man was arrested for driving on the Wantagh Parkway Sunday night, state police said.

Troopers said they received a report of a 71-year-old driver in a white Nissan was seen traveling north in the southbound lanes at about 8:11 p.m.

A Lynbrook man was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly accepted checks to do work on Hurricane Sandy victims' homes and did not complete the work.

According to Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice's office, Rodrigo Leiton, 51, was charged with third-degree grand larceny, two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, first-degree scheme to defraud and four counts of operating a home improvement business without a license.

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Police Searching for Man Who Sexually Abused Masseuse

Police are searching for a man who sexually abused an employee at the Red Bell Spa in Hicksville Monday evening.

At 7:03 p.m. Monday, police said that the man entered the Red Bell Spa for a massage. When the female masseuse entered the room, the suspect was completely exposed, police said.

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Police Seeking Public's Help in Identifying Burglar

Nassau County police have released video surveillance footage from an East Meadow office building where they say a man stole a secretary's wallet from a desk drawer back in October.

According to police, at approximately 2 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 7, 2013, an unidentified man was present inside an office building located at 1975 Hempstead Turnpike. The man unlawfully entered Suite 202, stole the wallet and fled the scene, police said.

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Wantagh Man Accused of Loan Sharking

A Wantagh man who was once convicted in a murder for hire case has been accused of loan sharking, Nassau County Prosecutors said.

Francis Bongarzone, 53, who prosecutors said also goes by the name Frankie Chase, allegedly loaned money at over 100 percent interest and threatened borrowers who couldn't pay back.

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Police: Calhoun Students Broke into High School

Two Merrick teens were arrested Sunday night after they allegedly broke into Calhoun High School, cops said.

According to police, school personnel were notified of an alarm at Calhoun ringing at 9:06 p.m. A 59-year-old man responded to check the security system. He observed a male going through a desk, cops said.

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Police: Forged Prescription Used at Seaford Pharmacy

A Holbrook woman was arrested Thursday for forging an oxycoddone prescription and trying to fill it at a pharmacy in Seaford, Nassau County police said.

Krystyna Barna, 28, took the bogus prescription to Charlie's family Pharmacy on Merrick Road on May 16 at 9:48 a.m.

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Police Investigating Bank Robbery in North Bellmore

Police are investigating a robbery that occurred in North Bellmore on Friday.

According to police, a white man entered Chase Bank at 1542 Bellmore Ave. around 5:50 p.m. and waited to be called by the teller.

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Police Investigating Bank Robbery in Merrick

Police are investigating a robbery that occurred at Capital One Bank on Monday.

There were no injuries, police said. Authorities said that the incident occurred at the bank, located at 2192 Merrick Road, around 11:45 a.m.

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Queens Man Arrested for Attempted Robbery in Merrick

A Queens man was arrested on Monday for an attempted robbery that occurred in Merrick, police said.  

According to police, John Graham, 31, entered TD Bank at 2260 Merrick Road around 12:20 p.m. and was observed by bank employees acting suspiciously. Graham then left the bank a short time later without conducting any banking transactions.


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