Crime & Safety

Crimes Nearby: Weapons Arsenal Discovered, Guilty Charge in Valley Stream Attack

A rundown of major crime stories in communities surrounding Malverne and West Hempstead.

The following information was provided by the Nassau County Police, Garden City Police and Rockville Centre Police Departments. An arrest does not indicate a conviction.

Police arrested a “potential madman” on Tuesday after a routine assignment in Woodmere that led to the discovery of a large cache of explosives, weapons and marijuana, according to County Executive Edward Mangano and police officials.

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Investigators found “enough explosive material to level the house and possibly the block,” which included 15 destructive devices, particularly pipe bombs, 15 improvised grenades and 50 pounds of ingredients that could be used to make explosives at 237 Narrow Lane, as well as about 100 handguns and 20 long guns, police officials said during a briefing on Wednesday.

Shortly after Marc Ringel, 53, was arrested Tuesday afternoon, about 20 surrounding homes were then evacuated and arson/bomb squad personnel responded to the scene.

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Ringel was arraigned on explosives, weapons and drug charges, but pleaded "not guilty." Police are still investigating his background and potential motives, but say they have no knowledge of him being connected to extremist groups or terrorists. Ringel's attorney said his client's weapons collection was a result of an "out of control" hobby,

Another weapons arsenal was discovered last week in the home of a man who had moved from Hewlett to East Meadow in the past week. Michael Anderson was arrested Friday for a domestic incident. When police responded to his Bernice Drive home, they found he had an arsenal of weapons. Police said they later found 14 guns, two grenade launchers and large amounts of ammunition in the 27-year-old's home. Before moving to East Meadow, Anderson had lived in Hewlett for 26 years.

Man Guilty of Attacking Valley Stream Couple

A Brooklyn man was convicted of robbery charges on Wednesday for attacking and robbing a couple in their Valley Stream driveway in July 2009, according to the district attorney’s office.

Sadiq Abdul Wahhab, 47, faces up to 15 years in prison at his April 18 sentencing on two counts of robbery in the second degree.

At about 12:20 a.m. on July 3, 2009, Wahhab and an accomplice hid in the bushes of a Marc Drive home in Valley Stream, DA Kathleen Rice said. The pair then attacked a married couple after they pulled into their driveway. Wahhab punched the male victim multiple times before he and his accomplice were able to get away with the victim’s bracelet, worth $9,000.

Wahhab’s New York Yankees hat was knocked from his head during the attack. Detectives were able to secure a DNA sample from the hat and identify Wahhab. A tip, received after Wahhab was featured on America’s Most Wanted, led to his arrest in Brooklyn by United States Marshals on Dec. 15, 2010.

The jury rejected the defense’s claims that Wahhab was at the scene, but did not participate in the robbery. He was found not guilty of robbery in the first degree.

His accomplice is still at large.

“Excellent police work, a strong prosecution, and cooperation between multiple law enforcement agencies combined on this case to track down a very dangerous criminal and bring him to justice,” Rice said.

After a two-month investigation into the theft of numerous credit cards from lockers at the New York Sports Club on Franklin Avenue, Garden City detectives, acting on information they had developed, said they set up surveillance on a specific locker.

The move paid off. On Feb. 29, police arrested a male 54-year-old from Woodmere after witnessing on surveillance the subject breaking into the locker and removing a credit card. According to police, the subject then immediately exited the store and fled southbound on Franklin Avenue in his vehicle.

When he was stopped and placed under arrest, police said he was in possession of the credit card from the Garden City club as well as two other credit cards that were determined to be stolen from the Woodmere New York Sports Club.

The subject was charged with six counts of grand larceny for thefts from the Garden City New York Sports Club, which occurred during the past two months, three counts of possession of stolen property for possessing the three stolen credit cards and for possession of a forgery device after it was determined he had in his possession a credit card skimming device.

Note: The Garden City Police Department does not provide the names of those arrested.

Arrests

  • Robert F. Weiss, 17, of Rockville Centre, was arrested on Feb. 24 for criminal obstruction of breathing, third-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal mischief following a police investigation at his residence.
  • Pearl Waxter, 69, of Long Beach was arrested on Feb. 27 and charged with assault and criminal possession of a knife with intent to use at National Boulevard.
  • Adrian Rivera, 57, of Valley Stream, was arrested on March 5 at and charged with DWI and aggravated unlicensed operation on Merrick Road.

Larceny

A complainant from S. Centre Avenue in Rockville Centre reported to police on On Feb. 21 that an unknown person(s) stole assorted jewelry valued at $39,580 from her residence sometime between Nov. 24 and Feb. 21.

For more crime, follow these links: ,  and Rockville Centre  and .

Related Topics: ArrestsCrimes Nearby, and Valley Stream Robbery Conviction


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