Crime & Safety

Man Undressed Himself In Farmingdale Mosque: Police

The man also broke an electronic tablet inside the mosque, police say.

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Besart Astafa, 28, of Deer Park, undressed himself and broke a tablet inside the Masjid Bilal Mosque in Farmingdale on Monday evening, Nassau police said.
Besart Astafa, 28, of Deer Park, undressed himself and broke a tablet inside the Masjid Bilal Mosque in Farmingdale on Monday evening, Nassau police said. (Nassau County Police Department)

FARMINGDALE, NY — A Deer Park man undressed himself in a Farmingdale mosque and broke equipment on Monday, Nassau police said.

Besart Astafa, 28, entered the Masjid Bilal Mosque, at 425 Fulton Street, shirtless around 7 p.m. Monday, police said. Once inside, Astafa began to take all his clothes off and run around a common area, police said. He punched an electronic tablet on a wall twice, causing the screen to crack, police said.

Officers arrested Astafa inside the mosque, police said. He was brought to a nearby hospital for treatment and evaluation.

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Astafa was charged with second-degree criminal mischief, exposure of a person, public lewdness, and second-degree criminal nuisance.

His arraignment was scheduled for Tuesday at First District Court, at 99 Main St., Hempstead.

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