Crimes Nearby: Cops Nab Alleged Child Rapist

This story was posted by Michael Sorrentino. It was written by Greg Sleter.

Suffolk Police along with the United States Marshal’s Regional Fugitive Task Force and Arlington, Mass., police arrested a Centereach man on a warrant related to charges of sex crimes against children that happened more than 30 years ago.

Paul Collins, 62, was taken into custody and charged with Rape of a Child by Force, Indecent Assault and Battery of a Child Under 14 and Open and Gross Lewdness. He was arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on May 18 and then taken to Massachusetts, where the warrant was issued. 

According to police, Collins served as a swim coach and the Aquatics Director for the Arlington Boys and Girls Club between 1978 and 1980 and met his victims, four males, through his involvement with the club. 

Police are now investigating if Collins, who resided in Suffolk County for nearly a decade, committed similar crimes in Suffolk County. 

Anyone with information about Collins and possible victims is asked to call the Special Victims Section at 631-852-6184 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.   

Walmart Thief Sought   

Suffolk Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying and locating the man who stole a vacuum and computer equipment from an Islandia store. 

According to police, a man entered Walmart, located at 1850 Route 454, and stole a Linksys router and Dyson vacuum on April 27 at 12:45 p.m. The stolen property has a value of $679. 

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-220-TIPS.     

Police Seek Man Who Stole iPhone   

Suffolk Police are looking for a man they said stole an iPhone from a Shirley gas station.   

On May 9 at 8:50 p.m., a male victim placed his iPhone on the check-out counter while he paid for items at the Citgo gas station, located at 950 Montauk Highway. When victim left the store and returned to retrieve his phone, it was gone.   

Surveillance video showed that a man who was standing in line behind the victim removed the phone from the counter and left the store with it.

Police describe the suspect as a white male in his late 30s, approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, with short shaved dark hair and heavy-build. He was wearing a black shirt with a large neon-colored character printed on the front. The suspect got into the passenger side of a white GMC Jimmy or Chevy Blazer, police said.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-220-TIPS.