RVC PD's Vega Honored for 'Pattern Crime' Arrests

Police Officer Elliott Vega was recently named “Cop of the Month” by the Rockville Centre Police Department after he arrested three subjects who were trying to strip a parked car in Municipal Parking Field No. 21 in March. One of the defendants was later confirmed to be an MS-13 gang member.

Vega was on a routine patrol on March 25 at about 1:23 a.m. when he saw two men entering a double-parked Pontiac minivan in Municipal Parking Field No. 21 on North Oceanside Road. As he approached the minivan, it sped off quickly northbound, intentionally passing a stop sign as it exited the parking field. After a brief pursuit, the minivan stopped.

Once assisting officers arrived on the scene, Vega returned to where he had seen the minivan double parked and found a Honda Civic with a five-ton hydraulic jack under it, small boulders positioned under the frame, and the lug nuts off of all four wheels.

Eight lug nuts missing from the Honda were recovered from the minivan along with three tire irons, a pair of mechanics gloves, a cordless drill and other tools, a baseball bat and a BB gun. The events fit a pattern crime under investigation by special units of the Nassau County Police Department.

The three subjects were arrested and charged with attempted grand larceny, petit larceny and possession of burglar tools. The driver was also charged with multiple vehicle and traffic law offenses.

Police Commissioner Chuck Gennario recounted the arrests at the April 11 Village Board of Trustees meeting and commended Vega for his “diligence, dedication to duty and highly professional conduct” in naming him Cop of the Month.