Suozzi Announces $10,000 Reward for Information Leading to Arrest and Conviction of Suspects in Break-Ins

County Executive Urges Residents to 'Be Prepared, Not Scared' by Taking Safety Precautions

Mineola, NY - Nassau County police will join with their counterparts in Suffolk County to form a task force to combat the recent string of home invasions that have plagued Long Island as Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi launched a public education campaign, urging residents to 'Be Prepared, Not Scared' in the face of the break-ins.

Suozzi also announced that Nassau County is offering a $10,000 reward to any member of the public who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of a suspect in any of the home invasions.

Anyone with information about the home invasions is urged to call 1 (800) 244 TIPS.

Nassau Police Commissioner James H. Lawrence and Suffolk Police Commissioner Richard Dormer joined Suozzi to discuss formation of the Nassau-Suffolk Robbery Joint Task Force during a meeting of Nassau County police commanders known as NASS-STAT.

"Even one home burglary in our county is one too many," Suozzi said. "Nassau police are determined to catch the criminals responsible for these break-ins. The public should be assured that we are doing everything we can to deter them from occurring in the future."

"We are directing all of our resources into the investigation of the series of robberies that have been occurred throughout the county," said Commissioner Lawrence. "I am hopeful that through our efforts those responsible for causing fear and apprehension in our communities will be apprehended and brought to justice."

The Joint Task Force is designed to formalize the sharing of information between Nassau and Suffolk detectives working to solve the home invasion cases and to increase communication flow between the two departments. More than a dozen detectives from each county are involved in tracking down leads about the home invasions.

"The Suffolk County Police department is working cooperatively with investigators from the Nassau County Police Department and the New York City Police Department to identify and arrest the persons responsible," said Commissioner Dormer. "Every available investigative resource is and will continue to be employed until these crimes are solved."

Suozzi also announced an increase in manpower that is being dedicated to deterring future break-ins. Increased police patrols, both in both marked and unmarked cars, will assist detectives working the case in both counties. The increased manpower and bi-county task force comes in addition to a task force that Nassau police formed two weeks ago with local village police officials within the county to share information in an effort to combat the home invasions.

"We are also urging residents to take precautions and 'Be Prepared, Not Scared.' Make sure your windows and doors are locked, especially in the evening hours. Leave your alarms on and check that your outdoor lighting is working," Suozzi added..

"Nassau County's crime rate remains the lowest it has been in 30 years," Suozzi said. "But we recognize that residents are worried and rightly concerned about this recent string of burglaries. This joint task force is being formed to make sure that Nassau and Suffolk police are sharing information about the cases and working closely together to apprehend those responsible. We also believe the reward will encourage those who may have information about the suspects to step forward."