Three suspects who were caught following a chase from Wantagh to Massapequa, may bebehind a number of tire and rim thefts throughout the area since the beginning of the year, police said Wednesday.
“We believe that there is a possibility that these individuals are responsible for multiple larcenies in Nassau County,” said Deputy Inspector Kenneth Lack said at a press conference at police headquarters in Mineola Monday.
The chase began after a resident of Carrolton Avenue in Wantagh spotted somebody who appeared to be stealing the tires and rims from a 2001 Nissan at 3:40 a.m.
When officers arrive, they chased the three suspects from Wantagh to Massapequa where they were stopped near the
The suspects all got out of the car and tried to flee, but two were nabbed quickly.
The driver, Anthony Baijnath, of Queens turned towards one of the officers in a threatening manner and the cop “fired one round at the suspect,” Lack said. “That round hit the ground.” Nobody was hurt.
The driver immediately put his hands up and surrendered to police. The second suspect was grabbed nearby, but the third suspect was able to run through backyards, leading cops to pursue him with police dogs and helicopters.
He was apprehended about in hour later, in a wooded area, three blocks away near Ocean Avenue.
Police set up a perimeter around the neighborhood and Officer John Larson of the Nassau police K-9 credited that action with helping his dog “Thunder” discover the suspect’s hiding place.
“He actually secreted a sweatshirt under a two where he was hiding,” Larson said.
An Emergency Service officer made the arrest. Larson said he believed the suspect was trying to get to Merrick Road.
Police recovered the tires and rims from this morning’s thefts in the back of the suspect’s car, lack said. There have been several tire and rim thefts in both Massapequa and Wantagh, and police are checking to see if there’s any connection to the Wednesday morning theft.
The two other suspects are Bryant Francis, 27 and Angel Feliciano, also of Queens. Charges were pending against all three men.
