Crime & Safety

Man Caught Stealing Car Parts From LIRR Parking Lot: Police

Police say the man was stealing catalytic converters from cars, but he was caught in the act.

A Whitestone man was arrested on Thursday after an investigation by police allegedly tied him to the theft of car parts from the Massapequa LIRR station.

According to police, an officer was on patrol on Feb. 8 at 12:20 p.m. when he saw a man in the Massapequa LIRR station behaving suspiciously. There had been several instances of catalytic converters being stolen from cars at the parking lot. Police say the officer approached the man to speak to him, but the man fled, leaving behind power tools which, police say, are commonly used to steal catalytic converters.

An investigation by police led to the arrest of Michael Cipriati, 33, of Whitestone. Cipriati is charged with third- and fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, fourth-degree grand larceny, third-degree criminal mischief, tampering with physical evidence, third-degree auto stripping and possession of burglar tools. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday in First District Court in Hempstead.

Find out what's happening in Massapequafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Photo: Nassau County Police Department

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.