Arrest made in rash of business, home thefts, Quogue police say

A Mastic man faces arraignment next week in Quogue Village Justice Court after he was arrested and charged with multiple larcenies, Quogue Village police said Friday.

Police said Roman M. Zhinin, 21, was arrested Tuesday at his home. During the arrest, police said more than 70 items with a value "in excess of $10,000" were recovered.

Police said an investigation linked Zhinin to "many reported crimes" in several jurisdictions and said Suffolk County, Southampton Town, Westhampton Beach and East Hampton Town police all were involved in the investigation leading to his arrest.

Zhinin became the prime suspect in what Quogue police described as a rash of recent larcenies from businesses and homes under construction when an officer on patrol spotted "an unoccupied and running" vehicle along County Road 104 at 3:15 a.m. Tuesday and found construction tools and landscaping equipment in the vehicle.

The officer then spotted "several suspects in a nearby wooded area," but said those suspects fled the scene on foot, police said.

The subsequent investigation led police to Zhinin, who was arrested at 1:10 p.m., police said.

Zhinin is charged with third-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree criminal mischief, third-degree criminal trespass and three counts of third-degree criminal mischief.

Police said Zhinin is scheduled for arraignment Wednesday. It was not clear if he was represented by an attorney. 

Police said the investigation is continuing.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”