Crime & Safety

Crimes Nearby: Rape Charge in Violent Home Invasion, Jewelry Store Held Up

A round-up of the top crime stories from communities neighboring Malverne and West Hempstead.

The following information was supplied by the Lynbrook, Rockville Centre, Garden City and Nassau County Police Departments. A criminal charge is only an accusation, and does not indicate convictions.

A Lynbrook man has been arrested and charged with rape after a violent home invasion and robbery in Hempstead Sunday night.

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Wiseallah Hightower-Castro, 24, of Lynbrook, was arrested several days after his alleged participation in the incident.

According to Nassau County detectives, around 11 p.m., a 22-year-old male victim went to visit his 47-year-old mother at her home on Grove Street in Hempstead. Also present at the time was a 44-year-old woman.

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While in the upstairs apartment, the male heard a knock at the door and answered it, police said. An unknown black male suspect, approximately 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, displayed a handgun. Behind the first suspect were two other unknown male black subjects displaying knives.

According to police, the second suspect was approximately 5-foot-11, 170 pounds, and the third suspect was approximately 5-foot-10, 170 pounds. All three subjects then pushed their way into the apartment.

The victim’s pockets were then searched by the suspects who removed three cell phones and an unknown amount of cash, police said. The first and second suspect then took the 44-year-old woman into the bathroom and sexually assaulted her.

According to police, the remaining suspect then brought the 22-year-old victim to an apartment in the lower portion of the house occupied by two 50-year-old female victims. The suspect kicked in the door and ordered the victims to lie on the floor. While one of the women had her hands tied behind her back, the second woman began to suffer a seizure. The suspect searched the victim's pockets, removing a cell phone and an unknown amount of cash.

Shortly afterward, a 49-year-old woman stopped at the house and was confronted by one of the suspects, police said. She was ordered to lie on the floor while a cell phone and an unknown amount of cash were removed from her pockets by the suspect.

According to police, the 47-year-old woman managed to escape by jumping out a window. She ran to a neighbor’s house and notified police. Realizing one of the victims was not in the house, all three subjects then entered a black four-door vehicle parked on Grove Street and fled the scene in an unknown direction.

Two Reported Bar Fights in Rockville Centre

On Dec. 30 at 4:45 p.m., a complainant from 150 Street in Flushing reported that on Dec. 30 at approximately 2 a.m., an unknown person assaulted him while at McFadden’s Bar, located at 210 Merrick Road in Rockville Centre, causing injuries that included a broken nose, fractured skull and severe lacerations. Then, on Jan. 4 at 10:25 a.m., another complainant from Cornell Street in Hempstead reported that unknown person(s) did assault him with a glass bottle causing facial lacerations while in the vicinity of Old Mill Court in Rockville Centre on Dec. 31 at approximately 11:50 p.m. 

Hempstead Man Beats Girlfriend on Garden City Street

Garden City Police officers responded to Franklin Avenue in the vicinity of Seventh Street for a report of a domestic incident. Upon arrival, officers observed a male 49-year-old from Hempstead punching a female who was later determined to be his girlfriend. The female victim then fell to the ground, where the subject started kicking and punching her again. The subject was arrested and charged with harassment. The victim refused medical aid. 

Two Attempt to Rob Franklin Square Jewelry Store 

Stein Family Jewelers located on Hempstead Turnpike in Franklin Square was robbed Sunday morning, police report. According to Detectives, two unknown male suspects entered the store around 10:15 a.m. on Jan. 15 and one Suspect demanded the 59-year-old victim get in the back of the store while the other pointed a handgun at him. The victim was able to activate the panic alarm as he complied with the demand and his hands were tied together. A 33-year-old male witness then walked into the store and started the suspects, who fled the scene on foot in an unknown direction. There were no proceeds and no injuries reported. Suspect One is described as a male Hispanic, early 20’s, 5’8” with a stocky build, wearing a black coat, black pants and a black baseball cap with a white bill. Suspect Two is described as a male Hispanic, early 20’s, 6’ with a medium build, wearing a gray sweatshirt and sweatpants carrying a backpack. Detectives request anyone with information regarding this crime to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous.  

Arrests in Lynbrook, Rockville Centre and Garden City

  • On Jan. 1 at 1:18 a.m., Richard J. Copertino, 22, of Huntington Station, was arrested for second-degree obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest following a police investigation on Berkshire Road in Rockville Centre.
  • Jan. 1 - at 9:55 p.m., Taylor C. Papa, 21, of Garden City, was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of marijuana on Scranton Avenue. Papa was also charged with marijuana possession on 
  • Jan. 1 - at 10 p.m., Jeannette Olivares, 35, of Rockville Centre, was arrested and charged with assault. The defendant was charged with assaulting a 15-year-old Hazel Place resident.
  • Jan. 4 -  Garden City detectives arrested a female 54-year-old from Mineola for larceny based on an ongoing investigation between the Garden City Police Department, the Nassau County Police Third Squad and Nassau County Police Special Investigation Squad. The subject was employed as a cleaning person at two residences from Jan. 1, 2011 and Sept. 12, 2011 and during that time removed approximately $7,500 worth of jewelry from the homes and sold some of the proceeds to local pawn shops.
  • Jan. 5- Upon their investigation, Garden City detectives arrested a third person, a male 19-year-old from Elmont, for an incident that occurred on Jan. 1 where three subjects were observed attempting to removed four tires and rims from a vehicle parked on Wetherill Road. The other two subjects were arrested on the day of the incident.
  • Jan. 5 - at 1:32 a.m., Brandon J. Pitt, 30, of Hempstead, was arrested and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation and an equipment violation for no tail lamp on Sunrise Highway.
  • Jan. 5 - at 8:05 a.m., Tywelle D. Nelson, 23 of Valley Stream, was arrested and charged with operating a motor vehicle without a valid NYS Inspection (warrant) on Merrick Road.
  • Jan. 5 - at 10:55 a.m., Elton M. Cobb, 52, of Laurelton, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct (warrant) on Merrick Road.
  • Jan. 6 - at 6:12 p.m., Tamer F. Altinerlielmas, 33, of Massapequa, was arrested and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation (warrant) on Columbus Drive.
  • Jan. 6 - at 9:05 p.m., Eugene Jackson, 45, of Springfield Gardens, was arrested and charged with first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation (warrant) and failure to obey traffic device. The defendant was arrested on Sunrise Highway.
  • Jan. 7 - at 9:03 a.m., John J. Porzio, 39, of Lynbrook, was arrested and charged with menacing on Merrick Road. The victim is a 39-year-old female from Merrick Road.
  • Jan. 7 - at 10:55 p.m., Schlisa A. Reddish, 26, of St. Albans, was arrested and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, unregistered motor vehicle, improper registration plates, no insurance and no NYS inspection on Ocean Avenue.
  • Jan. 9 - at 1:26 a.m., Daniel M. Dunlop, 22, of Valley Stream, was arrested and charged with Valley Stream Code 37S-1H for being in an Area Closed to Public (warrant).


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