2 Suffolk Men Stole From Clothing Bin At Levittown School: PD

LEVITTOWN, NY — Two Suffolk County men broke into a clothing bin at St. Bernard Elementary School in Levittown and stole clothing donations meant for the needy on Friday morning, Nassau County police said.

Detectives said that Alvarado Antonio Gudiel, 32, of West Babylon, and Rafael Asuncion Peralta-Calero, 26, of Copiague, broke the lock on the clothing bin and moved “multiple bags of clothing” into a white Ford van, which was driven away from the scene.

A school employee had seen the two men go inside the clothing bin just after 11 a.m. and a description of the van was transmitted over police radio, police said. Officers later found the van traveling eastbound on Hempstead Turnpike, and the pair was ordered to pull over in a traffic stop, police said.

Police said that after a “thorough investigation,” Gudiel and Calero were charged with third-degree criminal mischief, a felony, and petit larceny, a misdemeanor. Multiple moving violations were also issued, according to police.

Gudiel and Calero were both issued appearance tickets returnable to First District Court in Hempstead on March 22. If convicted on the top charge of third-degree criminal mischief, they could face up to four years in a state prison.

The St. Vincent de Paul Society collects clothing around Long Island for its various thrift shop locations that serve the needy.