East Moriches robbery, assault suspects sought

Police said the two men who beat and robbed a man in the driveway of his East Moriches home in January left behind incriminating evidence investigators hope will lead to their arrest — photos of them fleeing in their getaway vehicle.

Photos of the vehicle, a white Ford Expedition that Suffolk County police believe was manufactured between 1997 and 2002, were released Tuesday along with a guaranteed fast-cash reward of $5,000 for any information leading to the arrests of the two suspects, police said.

Police ask anyone who recognizes the getaway vehicle or has information about the suspects to call Crime Stoppers at 800-220-8477. All calls will remain confidential.

The robbery occurred at a home in East Moriches at about 5:30 a.m. Jan. 29, police said.

Police said the victim was leaving for work and was in his driveway when he was assaulted by the suspects who, wearing masks, “repeatedly struck him with blunt objects,” stealing an undisclosed amount of cash. The victim suffered head trauma and needed treatment at a hospital, police said.

The suspects then fled, maybe thinking they’d gotten away with the crime by masking their identities. They didn’t count on surveillance photos, though. Now, police hope those photos will be their undoing.

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.”