Levittown woman returns home to catch burglary in progress, police say 

Nassau police said they arrested two people after a Levittown woman returned home Wednesday to find a burglary in progress.

In a release, police said they arrested Cristina L. Carella, 31, of Levittown, and Kyle Howell, 28, of Westbury, on burglary charges shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday in front of Howell’s Circle Drive home. Police said their investigation had led them to the two after recovering property they had allegedly stolen from the Levittown woman's Violet Lane home. 

Police said the homeowner had returned home to find her front door open and a woman she didn’t know walking out with some of her personal property. The homeowner watched the woman walk across the street and climb into the passenger side of a white sedan driven by an unknown man. 

Police did not say what property they allegedly took.

Carella was also charged with burglary and criminal mischief for a January incident on Arrow Lane in Hicksville. 

The case was continued when Carella and Howell were arraigned Friday in First District Court in Hempstead.

It was unclear if Carella had a lawyer. Howell was represented by Legal Aid Society of Nassau County, which did not immediately return a message. 

By Nicholas Spangler

nicholas.spangler@newsday.comspanglernewsday

Nicholas Spangler is a general assignment reporter and has worked at Newsday since 2010.