Crime & Safety

Cops: Duo Tried to Steal from Walmart, Officers Injured in Struggle

A man and woman face charges after they tried to steal video game controllers and were found with heroin in Massapequa, according to Nassau County Police.

Officers were at the Sunrise Mall Walmart when they saw Gregory Insardi, 26, of North Massapequa, and Melanie Hlipatsos, 23, of South Farmingdale, try to steal six Wii controllers. An officer and store security stopped the duo, who had tried to hide the controllers in a shopping bag and the man's waistband.

Hlipatsos cooperated and was escorted to the security office but Insardi refused, reportedly "flailing his arms in an aggressive manner," police stated. The officer sustained cuts to his finger and a security officer sustained a contusion to his hand in the struggle, cops reported.

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Both Hlipatsos and Insardi were found with heroin after the incident, which took place at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Insardi was charged with second-degree robbery, second- and third-degree assault, resisting arrest, and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. He will be arraigned Thursday at First District Court in Hempstead.

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Hlipatsos was charged with petit larceny and seventh-degree possession of a controlled substance. She will be arraigned April 30.


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