Accused Burglar Breaks Into Nassau Auto Body Shop: Cops

VALLEY STREAM, NY — A Cedarhurst man already facing burglary and theft charges has been arrested for the third time in the last eight months after police said he broke into a Valley Stream auto body shop early Sunday.

Around 1 a.m. Sunday, the owner of the East Hawthorne Avenue business received an alert from his alarm company that someone was inside the shop. The owner pulled up video of the location on his cellphone, called 911 and gave police a description of the suspect.

After investigating the break-in, police arrested Jorge Santizo-Lanuza, 21, of Prospect Avenue, near the shop.

Santizo-Lanuza faces charges including 3rd-degree burglary, 3rd-degree grand larceny, 4th-degree grand larceny, 3rd-degree-unauthorized use of a vehicle and 5th-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

He was scheduled to appear in Mineola court Monday.

In August, Santizo-Lanuza was arrested along with three others in a case involving a stolen SUV and sedan. In that case, Santizo-Lanuza was charged with felony criminal possession of stolen property and misdemeanor unauthorized use of a vehicle in connection with the theft of a Honda Accord in Mineola.

Then in October, Santizo-Lanuza was arrested again and charged with 3rd-degree burglary. He was released in both cases and is scheduled to appear in court June 4, online court records showed.

New York's criminal reform legislation banned judges from setting cash bail for people accused of non-violent crimes — including second- and third-degree burglary as well as criminal possession of stolen property — and has come under fierce scrutiny since going into effect Jan. 1.

Numerous law enforcement officials, including Ryder, the Nassau County district attorney and the county executive, have criticized the laws and said they endanger the public.