At 1:38 a.m. on March 26, police were called to a gas station at 1 Powerhouse Road for a burglary in progress. By the time officers arrived, the damage had already been done. A glass door had been shattered, and the suspects were gone, along with a cash register.
But they didn’t get far.
According to detectives, officers quickly canvassed the area and located three men nearby. That decision to stay close to the scene would turn out to be a critical mistake.
Police arrested Edwin Rodriguez, 20, of Rockaway Avenue, William Taft, 19, of Saint Marks Avenue, and Shamel Stilley, 24, of Vernon Avenue, all from Brooklyn, without incident.
As the investigation unfolded, detectives tied the group to a second attempted break-in just steps away. At Holiday Farms, located at 374 Roslyn Road, the rear door had been pried open, and the suspects attempted to access another cash register before fleeing empty-handed.
What began as a single burglary call quickly unraveled into a broader pattern of activity within the same area and timeframe.
Rodriguez, Taft, and Stilley are each charged with two counts of third-degree burglary. Rodriguez faces an additional charge of possession of burglar tools.
They were scheduled to be arraigned on March 27 at First District Court in Hempstead.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Photo: NCPD
