Lindenhurst Man Charged With 9 Thefts Across Suffolk: Police

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY - A Lindenhurst man was charged on Saturday with nine larcenies dating back to December including a rental scam, stealing credit cards and stealing money from a woman at an ATM across Suffolk County.

Following an investigation, officers identified 33-year-old James Destasio as the thief in multiple larceny cases, police said.

Detectives found Destasio in a car he was not authorized to be driving in Deer Park on Saturday, but he was able to flee from officers, police said.

The car was later found parked and unoccupied on West 14th Street in West Babylon and Destasio was arrested in the backyard of a West 14th Street home as he attempted to flee police on foot, police said.

According to police, he was charged with nine counts of fourth degree grand larceny for:

• Stealing a purse from shopping cart at Stop and Shop on 400 Union Boulevard in West Islip on March 9.
• Stealing an employee’s credit card at Boca Tanning Salon First on 798 Grand Boulevard in Deer Park on March 5.
• Stealing a credit card from a car parked at The UPS Store on 654 North Wellwood Avenue in North Lindenhurst, on March 2.
• Taking money as a rental deposit for a Bay Shore apartment that he was not authorized to rent on February 26.
• Stealing a credit card from a car parked at Crunch Fitness on 369 Little East Neck Road in West Babylon, on February 25.
• Stealing a credit card from a car parked at LA Fitness on 2110 Broadhollow Road in East Farmingdale, on February 24.
• Stealing a credit card from a car parked at LA Fitness on 5 Gateway Boulevard in Patchogue, on February 24.
• Stealing a wallet from a locker at LA Fitness on 455 Park Avenue in Lindenhurst on February 23.
• Forcibly stealing money from a woman’s hand at an ATM on 840 Sunrise Highway in Bay Shore on December 21.

Destasio was also charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, reckless driving and resisting arrest, police said.

He was previously arrested in 2012 in Lindenhurst for first degree robbery, according to a previous Patch article.

Photo: SCPD