2 men charged in Suffolk County store burglary spree
NEW YORK -- A Long Island man charged in a crime spree across Suffolk County appeared before a judge on Wednesday.
Police say small shops from Bay Shore to Islip, West Islip, Oakdale, Bohemia and Lindenhust were targeted since late May, some multiple times.
In all, there have been at least 14 burglaries.
Surveillance video captured the alleged serial burglar throwing a rock through the glass door at Bang Bang Burritos in West Islip and then ripping out cash resisters.
Moments later, a neighboring ice cream shop was struck.
Robert Porter, 55, of Kings Park is charged with 14 counts of burglary.
"We are here all day long, and we work hard for what we have and for someone to just come in here and take what they want, I'm glad, I'm honestly glad, he got caught," burglary victim Barbara Pagliarulo said.
"You couple that with supply chain issues that exist and prices of everything are going up, the merchants are trying to hold the line on prices. It's just very unfortunate this is where we are right now," said Rich Carpenter, president of the West Islip Chamber of Commerce.
An alleged accomplice, 56-year-old Eric Hyndman, who is homeless, is charged in four of the burglaries.