Cops: Man held in mall theft resists arrest

A 28-year-old Central Islip man, detained by security guards after a suspected larceny at the Walmart in Westfield Sunrise Mall, struggled with Nassau County police who attempted to arrest him Sunday, injuring a detective, police said.

The detective, whose identity was not released, suffered an injury to his right hand and was treated at a hospital, police said.

Arrested was Jose L. Rodriguez, of 5 Birchgrove Dr., police said.

He was charged with second-degree assault, resisting arrest, endangering the welfare of a child, petit larceny and three counts of second-degree possession of a forged instrument. Rodriguez was arraigned Monday in First District Court in Hempstead, and his bail was set at $17,000. He was represented by Legal Aid.

Police said the incident took place at about 3 p.m.

They said the detectives, arriving at the East Massapequa mall security office as part of an unrelated investigation, found Rodriguez being detained in the larceny case -- and attempted to arrest him. But, police said, when Rodriquez's wife and two children, aged 2 and 4, arrived at the scene and were informed they'd have to leave, Rodriguez also attempted to exit.

"Detectives advised the defendant to remain seated, which he refused," police said, adding that a struggle ensued when detectives attempted to handcuff Rodriguez. During that struggle, police said, the detective suffered the hand injury.

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Additional details were not immediately available.

Police said three forged documents were found in Rodriguez's possession, but did not provide further description.

With Ellen Yan