A Suffolk County man has been arrested in connection with a series of thefts that targeted donation boxes at a Manorville religious shrine and prompted police to seek the public’s help identifying the suspect.
Suffolk County Police announced Wednesday that Major Case Unit detectives arrested Piotr Nerkowski, 49, of Lindenhurst, following an investigation into multiple larcenies at the Shrine of Our Lady of the Island on Eastport Manor Road.
The arrest comes weeks after police released surveillance images of a man suspected of cutting locks on outdoor donation boxes and stealing money left by visitors at the shrine. Investigators said the thefts occurred on multiple occasions between March 29 and April 19.
According to police, detectives working with the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office identified Nerkowski as the suspect. He was arrested inside a CVS Pharmacy on East Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst at approximately 10:26 a.m. on June 10.
Nerkowski was charged with Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, Attempted Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, Resisting Arrest, and two counts of Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree.
Police said he was held overnight at the Third Precinct and was scheduled to be arraigned June 11 at First District Court in Central Islip.
The Shrine of Our Lady of the Island, a Catholic pilgrimage site in Manorville, was targeted repeatedly during the overnight thefts, according to investigators. Police had previously released surveillance photos and sought tips from the public as part of the effort to identify the suspect.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
