Man Arrested After String Of Riverhead Thefts: Police

RIVERHEAD, NY — A man was arrested Thursday following a string of thefts from Riverhead businesses, police said.

According to Riverhead Town police, at about 10:23 a.m., a call came in from an employee working at the Laundry Palace on Old Country Road. The employee said a man had just cut the rope and removed the flags from the flagpole located outside the business and then, left the area on foot, police said.

Officers found someone matching the description given by the employee and were able to stop him nearby; he was uncooperative and refused to identify himself, police said.

Nelson Priester, 37, who is without a known address, was found to be in possession of several of the hooks that were affixed to the flags and the flagpole, police said. He was arrested and taken to Riverhead police headquarters, authorities said.

Shortly after that incident was reported, several other businesses in the area contacted police to report similar larcenies, police said. Riverhead detectives determined that a total of six establishments were found to be missing flags from in front of their respective locations, police said.

A Riverhead K9 unit was able to locate a number of flags following a track from the Laundry Palace, police said.

The other businesses included the Riverhead Auto Mall, Riverhead municipal garage, Riverhead Beverage, Eagle Chevrolet — all located on Old Country Road — and the Suffolk County Historical Society on West Main Street, police said.

Priester was charged with two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, one count of petty larceny, and one count of fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, police said.

He was released on an appearance ticket with a future court date, police said.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is requested to contact Riverhead police at 631-727-4500.