Police Officer Seriously Injured After Suspects Flee Catalytic Converter Thefts In Lindenhurst: DA

LINDENHURST, NY — Four Bronx men have been indicted after Suffolk County prosecutors say they carried out a series of catalytic converter thefts in Lindenhurst before fleeing police, leading to a pursuit that ended with a police officer suffering a severe leg injury.

According to Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney, Henry Cruz, 25, Luis Acosta, 24, Jeorge Santana Sanchez, 34, and Madinson Silverio Ventura, 27, were each charged with assault on a police officer, prosecutors said.

According to the investigation, on March 7, the four men drove a 2021 Maserati Levante around Lindenhurst, targeting parked vehicles, often Toyota Prius models, prosecutors said.

Authorities said the group would stop in the roadway, shut off the headlights, and work in coordinated roles. One person acted as a lookout, another used a pump jack to lift the vehicle, and another used a power saw to remove the catalytic converter before the group moved on to the next target.

At around 4:37 a.m., a Suffolk County police patrol unit attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver refused and led officers on a pursuit, prosecutors said.

The chase continued onto the westbound Southern State Parkway, where authorities said the vehicle reached speeds of more than 90 miles per hour.

Police deployed stop sticks ahead of the vehicle, flattening its tires. Prosecutors said all four men then exited the Maserati and fled on foot.

During the foot pursuit, a Suffolk County police officer fell and suffered an ankle fracture that required emergency surgery at Stony Brook University Hospital, prosecutors said.

Cruz and Acosta were arrested at the scene, authorities said.

Santana Sanchez and Silverio Ventura were later identified and arrested on March 19 at a hotel in the Bronx following an investigation. Silverio Ventura was also arrested on an outstanding warrant tied to a previous catalytic converter theft in Lindenhurst in 2023, prosecutors said.

On April 1, all four men were arraigned before Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei.

They were indicted on multiple charges, including assault on a police officer, first-degree auto stripping, second-degree criminal mischief, and third-degree criminal possession of stolen property, prosecutors said.

Cruz was ordered held on $500,000 cash, $1 million bond, or a $5 million partially secured bond, prosecutors said. He is represented by attorney Chase Brown.

Acosta was ordered held on $250,000 cash, $500,000 bond, or a $5 million partially secured bond and is represented by the Legal Aid Society.

Santana Sanchez was ordered held on $250,000 cash, $500,000 bond, or a $5 million partially secured bond and is represented by Daniel Ollen.

Silverio Ventura was ordered held on $250,000 cash, $500,000 bond, or a $5 million partially secured bond and is represented by Sean Dixon. The defendants' attorneys could not immediately respond to a request for comment.

All four men are due back in court on May 6 and face up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the top charge, prosecutors said.

“The defendants, who are not from Suffolk County, are accused of targeting our community through a string of catalytic converter thefts and then escalating the situation by fleeing from law enforcement, resulting in a serious injury to a police officer,” Tierney said. “This should send the message that if you come to Suffolk County to commit crimes, we will track you down and bring you back to face charges here.”