Police: Two Arrested in String of Patchogue Burglaries

Two men were arrested after attempting to break into an East Patchogue home Thursday afternoon, police said. 

Richard Crane, of Bellport, and Philip Mazzola, of Patchogue, are also charged in several other burglaries in the area over the past month, police said. 

Police say Fifth Precinct officers responded to a Corbin Avenue home after callers reported that a suspicious man had gone into a neighbor’s backyard at approximately 1 p.m. Thursday.

A short time later, officers Martin Gill and Stephen Lukas stopped a Nissan Altima that matched the description of a car that was seen on Corbin Avenue around the time of the 911 calls, police said.

Officer Gill arrested Mazzola, 21, the driver of the Altima.  Officer Lukas arrested Crane, 21, who was on foot and walking around the neighborhood, approximately one block away from Corbin Avenue.

Further investigations by Fifth Squad detectives revealed that Crane and Mazzola were responsible for another attempted burglary that occurred earlier Thursday on Shady Tree Lane in East Patchogue, police said. 

Police said they were also behind a burglary that occurred on December 20 on North Summit Street in Patchogue and two burglaries that occurred on January 8 in East Patchogue on Knot Street and Denise Drive. 

Crane and Mazzola are each charged with three counts of second degree burglary and two counts of second degree attempted burglary. 

The investigation is continuing. Police believe the two men, who were knocking on neighborhood doors looking for unoccupied homes, might be responsible for other burglaries in the area that occurred during the past four weeks.  Anyone with information is asked to call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. 

Both men will be held overnight at the Fifth Precinct and are scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Friday.