Father/Son Crime Fighting Duo Catch Serial Hampton Bays Burglar: Police

HAMPTON BAYS, NY - Sometimes, fighting crime just runs in the family.

That was the case when a retired police officer father and his detective son, a veritable crime-fighting duo, worked together to catch a serial burglar in Hampton Bays, police said.

According to Southampton Town Police, members of the Southampton Town Police Department's patrol and detective divisions responded to a call at 3 p.m. Monday about a burglary at a Maple Avenue home.

While conducting the investigation into the burglary, retired Southampton Town Police Officer Edward Wilson alerted detectives and patrol officers to a suspicious male in a tent located in the wooded area close to the burglary, police said.

Officers and detectives went to investigate and the man was found to be in possession of proceeds from the burglary, police said.

Detective Timothy Wilson, son of retired Officer Edward Wilson, was handling the case and subsequently arrested the young man, Santiago Ramierz Giraldo, 19, of Hampton Bays, police said.

The investigation revealed that Giraldo was responsible for multiple burglaries in the area, police said.

Giraldo was charged with five counts of burglary in the second degree, one count of criminal trespass in the second degree, one count of criminal mischief in the fourth degree, two counts of criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, and one count of possession of burglar's tools, police said.

Giraldo was held overnight at Southampton Town Police headquarters for arraignment in the morning at Justice Court, police said.

Retired Police Officer Edward Wilson served for more than 20 years with the Southampton Town Police Department where his son, Timothy Wilson is now a detective and has served for the past 14 years with the department, police said.

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