Long Island crime briefs

LEVITTOWN / Cops: 12-year-old drives construction vehicle into parked cars

A 12-year-old Seaford boy was arrested after he started an unlocked construction vehicle Saturday and drove it into two parked cars before stopping on a lawn in Levittown, Nassau police said.

The boy, who has autism and was reported missing earlier in the day, found the construction carryall vehicle with the keys inside about 5 p.m. Saturday, police said.

He started it up and began to drive, but collided with the cars parked on Carnation Road. He came to a stop on the front lawn at 41 Carnation Rd., police said. No one was injured.

The boy was arrested, charged with third-degree unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and was released to his father. The boy is scheduled to appear in Family Court on Oct. 17.

-- JENNIFER BARRIOS

LEVITTOWN / Church under construction set on fire

The Nassau Arson/Bomb Squad is investigating an intentionally set fire at a church building under construction in Levittown.

The fire occurred Sunday at 4:25 a.m. at the St. Thomas Malankara Orthodox Catholic Church. The building, which consisted only of a shell and concrete work, had minor damage, officials said.

Police said fires were set in four locations within the structure to cardboard boxes and wood crates that held elevator materials.

The East Meadow Fire Department sent four trucks and 20 personnel to extinguish the blaze.

There is no evidence that the fire was a bias crime, but the investigation is continuing, police said. Anyone with information about the case can contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers anonymously at 800-244-TIPS.

-- JENNIFER BARRIOS

HUNTINGTON STATION / Police: Man shot in both legs; suspects flee in car

A man was shot in both legs as he walked down a street in Huntington Station, Suffolk police said.

Rahmel Caleb, 31, of Huntington Station, was walking with a friend on Lowndes Avenue near Church Street about 9 p.m. Saturday when a gold-colored four-door sedan pulled up beside them.

Three men got out of the car and fired eight shots at Caleb and his friend before getting back in and driving west on Tower Street, police said.

Caleb was taken to Huntington Hospital by Huntington Rescue and treated for non-life-threatening wounds. The other victim was not injured.

Anyone with information about this case can contact the Second Squad at 631-854-8252 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 800-220-TIPS.

-- JENNIFER BARRIOS

FREEPORT / Man accused of using bad check to withdraw $8,000 from bank

A Hempstead man was arrested Saturday and charged with grand larceny after police said he withdrew money using a bad check.

Kyle McKeithan, 44, deposited a fraudulent check at a Freeport bank on Aug. 9, then made an $8,000 withdrawal, police said. McKeithan then tried to deposit another check the next day, but failed after bank employees became suspicious about irregularities on that check, police said.

The bank notified the police department, which began an investigation that led to McKeithan's arrest at his home at 5:25 p.m. Saturday. Police said he had crack cocaine in his possession.

McKeithan was charged with third-degree grand larceny, two counts of second-degree possession of a forged instrument and fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

At his arraignment Sunday at First District Court in Hempstead, McKeithan was ordered held on $40,000 bond or $20,000 cash. He is due in court on Wednesday.

-- JENNIFER BARRIOS

WESTBURY: Man, 20, pushes teen off bicycle, steals cellphone, police say

Nassau County police arrested and charged a man with robbery after officials said he pushed a 14-year-old off his bicycle and stole the teen's cellphone in Westbury.

Theodule Enoise, 20, of Westbury, approached the teen around 6 p.m. Friday, took his phone and ran, police said.

The teen injured his left knee but declined medical attention, a police spokesman said.

Enoise was arrested Saturday but the cellphone was not found. He is charged with second-degree robbery and was arraigned Sunday at First District Court in Hempstead.

-- YAMICHE ALCINDOR