Crime Nearby: Bad Checks, Purse Snatching

Some of the crimes reported around Long Island in the last week.

Massapequa
The Nassau County Police Department Crime Stoppers unit released photos Monday morning of a man being sought for allegedly stealing a woman’s pocketbook in Seaford last month and trying to use the victim’s credit card at a Massapequa bank. The pictures are of the man attempting to use the stolen credit card for a cash withdrawal at in Massapequa. Police said the withdrawal attempt came after the man stole a pocketbook from a woman’s vehicle parked in Seaford on Aug. 23. Crime Stoppers is asking anyone with information to call 1-800-244-TIPS (8477).

A Queens man accused of shoplifting at the last week also assaulted a cop and left his 9-year-old daughter unattended, police said. Eric Midyett, 34, of Far Rockaway, was spotted by store workers hiding clothing in his shopping bag at 8:45 p.m. Saturday, accoreding to police. Midyett exited the store, tripping security alarms and employees called cops. Cops caught up with Midyett, but he allegedly refused to be handcuffed and a struggle ensued. An officer broke a toe on his right foot and was treated and released from an area hospital. Cops discovered that Midyett left his daughter unattended in his car, the entire time. The girl was released to his grandmother and was unharmed, police said. Midyett was charged with assault, resisting arrest, petty larceny and endangering the welfare of a child.

A string of Massapequa car break-ins over the last week has been tied to a Massapequa teenager. Keith Barkan, 18, was arrested Saturday for using a stolen credit card at the  and later charged with several thefts from area vehicles, Nassau County Police said. He is charged with three counts of fourth degree grand larceny, two counts of petit larceny and third degree identity theft, police said.

Commack

A Commack woman has confessed to stealing cash and jewelry from a tenant living in her basement apartment, Suffolk County Police said last week. Police arrested Christine Georghakis, 45, and charged her with second-degree burglary after she admitted to stealing from her tenant's apartment in her 12 Johnson St. home's basement. Georghakis, who also goes by her married name, Christine Matarazzo, said she used her key to enter the apartment. Police also said Georghakis had a prior arrest for a similar crime, but did not give any further details.

Bethpage

A Westbury man was arrested for falsely reporting an incident that occurred on Sept. 3  in Bethpage. According to detectives, the defendant Marc J. Gatchalian, 27, was at the 7-11 located at 4220 Hempstead Turnpike when he called 911 and reported he had placed a bomb at that location and continued to state that he placed an additional bomb at the Nassau University Medical Center. Third Precinct officers, along with Officers from the Canine Unit, responded to the hospital and performed an extensive search that resulted in no explosives being found.  Second Precinct officers responded to the 7-Eleven store, where they arrested Gatchalian. A search of the store was also negative for explosives. There were no injuries reported. Gatchalian is being charged with two counts of second degree falsely reporting an incident and third degree menacing. He was arraigned on September 4 at First District Court in Hempstead.

Huntington

A man died after he was struck by a vehicle westbound on Jericho Turnpke in Huntington Station. The man, who has has not been identified,  was walking in the westbound lane of Jericho Turnpike  when he was struck by a vehicle in front of the 7-Eleven Store at the corner of Route 25 and Thorney Avenue, according to police.

Inwood

Daniel Miller, the Inwood shop owner accused of with a teen employee, was charged last week with stealing more than $200,000 by passing bad checks to payment-processing businesses, according to the Nassau district attorney. Miller, 45, was arraigned on two counts of second-degree grand larceny, third-degree grand larceny, seven counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument and scheme to defraud in the first degree. The DA said Miller processed the bad checks between July 2009 and November 2010.

Lindenhurst

A Lindenhurst man faces charges of possessing child pornography. Suffolk County Police said detectives from the Computer Crimes Unit were assisting the Suffolk County Probation Department with the analysis of Vincent Sparagano’s cellular telephone and computer as part of the conditions of his probation. Images of child pornography were found on his computer. Sparagano, 42, a former director of productions for the Lindenhurst-based Spotlight Players, surrendered at the Seventh Precinct and was charged with one count of possessing a sexual performance by a child. Police officials said Sparagano is on probation after being convicted of endangering the welfare of a child in Nassau County.

Riverside

A Riverside man was arrested Sunday and charged with leaving the scene of an accident after he allegedly fled the scene -- with the driver of the car he'd hit following him. Police were notified that the driver had  fled the scene, with the driver of the vehicle he'd hit following him. With the help of Westhampton Beach Village police, Southampton Town police located tSouthampton Town police arrested Marco Antonio Cruz, 21, and charged him with leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident, where there were physical injuries, a misdemeanor, as well as unlicensed operation of a vehicle and driving with only one plate, both violations.

James Licausi, 43, of Riverside, was charged with third degree robbery, a D felony, in Riverside. Police reported that Licausi had struck a man in the face, bit his left arm and then forcibly removed the victim's wallet and fled the area on a bicycle.

A woman allegedly swiped a Kmart shopper's purse, which included cash and a debit card -- and then used the card around town. According to Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and detectives from the Riverhead police department, authorities are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the individual who allegedly stole a purse belonging to a woman who was shopping at K-Mart on Route 58 in Riverhead. Later that day, an unknown woman allegedly used the debit card illegally to purchase merchandise in several stores in Riverhead and Hampton Bays, police said. The shopper later discovered that her pocketbook was missing. The purse was subsequently found and returned to the owner, with the debit card and $164 in cash missing.