(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Police on Sunday, June 7, arrested five teens in connection with damaging and stealing items from multiple cars parked at a Long Island Railroad parking lot since last month.
Third Precinct police officers responded to the parking lot of the Central Islip Railroad, located on Suffolk Avenue, after receiving an anonymous 911 call reporting car break-ins at 3:20 a.m. When police arrived, they located and arrested five people for damaging cars. A BB gun was recovered during the arrests which had been used by the suspects to break windows in some of the targeted cars.
Jose Mendoza mug shot. Photo Credit: SCPD.
A further investigation determined the suspects were responsible for damaging other cars and stealing items from within the vehicles in the same railroad parking lot since May 24.
Jose Mendoza, 18, of Central Islip, was arrested and charged with five counts of Criminal Mischief 4th Degree and one count of Petit Larceny. Gerardo Ramirezperez, 17, of Central Islip, was charged with five counts of Criminal Mischief 4th Degree and two counts of Petit Larceny. Three juveniles were also arrested and charged with three counts of Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree.
Gerardo Ramirezperez mug shot. Photo Credit: SCPD.
Approximately 15 cars were damaged. The investigation is continuing and additional charges are pending.
Mendoza and Ramirezperez will be held overnight at the Third Precinct and will be arraigned tomorrow at First District Court in Central Islip. The juveniles will be scheduled to appear in Family Court on a later date.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
