PA Man Burgled New Rochelle, Yonkers Businesses: DA

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — A Pennsylvania man accused of burglarizing several New Rochelle and Yonkers businesses in 2017 is being held without bail in Westchester County Jail. He was arraigned Thursday on a multi-count indictment, Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced.

Prosecutors allege Kareem Johnakin and his co-defendant Patrick Williams broke into food markets and a restaurant in the early hours of the morning and stole money. In four out of the five events, the defendants broke into the markets by pushing up metal roll-down gates and, in most cases, sliding underneath them. In the restaurant, they smashed a glass door to get in.

Locations of incidents and approximate amounts of stolen money:

May 12, 2017 -- Yonkers Farm Market, 1101 Yonkers Avenue, Yonkers = $4,700

July 2, 2017 -- Rainbow Fish Market, 482 Main Street, New Rochelle = $3,300

July 6, 2017 -- Green Dragon Restaurant, 150 North Avenue, New Rochelle = less than $1,000

July 6, 2017 -- Saw Mill Market, 317 Saw Mill River Road, Yonkers = $13,300

Aug. 3, 2017 -- store at 321 Saw Mill River Road, Yonkers = 0, defendants scared off by alarm

Johnakin, of Bethlehem, PA is charged with:

• 5 counts of Burglary in the Third Degree, class D felonies
• 3 counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, class D felonies
• 4 counts of Criminal Mischief in the Third Degree, class E felonies
• 1 count of Petit Larceny, a misdemeanor

Johnakin, 46, is being held without bail and is scheduled to appear again in court Oct. 9.

Williams, 51, is scheduled for arraignment Oct. 9.

The investigation was conducted with the assistance of Yonkers and New Rochelle Police and the Westchester Intelligence Center.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Laura Murphy, Chief of the Career Criminal Bureau, with assistance from Assistant District Attorney Adrian Murphy of the Investigations Division.