LBPD: Bronx Man Person of Interest in Shore Road Burglary

A Bronx man charged with multiple burglaries at an apartment complex in Mineola is a person of interest in a burglary investigation in Long Beach.

In a joint investigation with the Long Beach Police Department, Nassau County police arrested Morris Santaniello, 60, of the Bronx and charged him with four counts of second-degree burglary on Wednesday. Police from both departments identified Santaniello and the Third Squad arrested him in Astoria at 10:45 p.m. April 10.

According to police, on Jan. 8 at 6 p.m., Santaniello entered the Brichwood Court apartment complex, at 190 Mineola Ave. in Mineola, and removed an undisclosed amount of jewelry belonging to the 81-year old female victim.

On Feb. 19 at 11:15 a.m., the defendant allegedly entered an apartment at 4 Birchwood Court in Mineola and an undisclosed amount of jewelry was taken. Police said a 69-year old female victim discovered him and he pushed passed her. No injuries were reported.

Later that day, Santaniello reportedly re-entered the apartment complex and went into two apartments, at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., removing an undisclosed amount of jewelry from a 64-year old female victim and a 58-year old female victim, respectively.

The Long Beach police anticipate additional local charges for Santaniello, according to the NCPD. Long Beach police believe Santaniello is a person of interest in at least one burglary at an apartment building on the 600 block of Shore Road in March.

The LBPD posted wanted fliers in high-rise buildings along Shore Road and other areas of the city that feature surveillance camera images of a man the department believes is the suspect. Police described the suspect as a white male in his late 40s or 50s, with black hair, a heavy build, a potbelly and a large nose. The LBPD didn’t release the exact date of the incident and the address of the building.

“Our detectives worked a joint investigation with the Third Precinct and it became apparent that we were probably looking for the same person,” LBPD Dt. Lt. Stephen Chernaski told Patch on Friday. “Long Beach detectives were there with the Third Precinct the day of the arrest of the Bronx man in Mineola, looking for the same man. And we believe he is a person of interest in the Shore Road burglaries.”

Santaniello was arraigned on Thursday at First District Court in Hempstead.