Cops: Man Robs Boyhood Home in Glen Cove

A Floral Park man burglarized his boyhood home on two occasions before being arrested by Glen Cove police, authorities said Friday.

The Glen Cove home, now owned by a recently returning veteran who served in Afghanistan, and his wife, was ripped off of jewelry worth thousands of dollars as well as various electronics and cash, police said.

Glen Cove Police say Michael Petikas , 31, broke into the home on July 29 and Aug. 1, after selling the home on July 7.

Jewelry worth thousands of dollars, various electronics and cash were stolen from the home, police said.

In an investigation, Glen Cove Det. Brian Glennon developed a suspect list. In working with Nassau County police Glennon found that some of the items from the burglary were sold in Freeport and Greenvale. Glen Cove police recovered many of the items, and learned that the suspect still had some of the proceeds from the burglary.

Glen Cove police set up a planned “buy and bust.”

“The suspect thought he was dealing with a jewelry buyer when he was speaking to a Glen Cove officer,” said Det. Lt. John Nagle.

Petikas showed up at the meeting with all the proceeds of the burglary that he had not yet sold, police said.

Petikas was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree burglary and fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

He is scheduled for arraignment Friday in First District Court in Hempstead.