Elmont man charged in residential burglary spree, police say

A 40-year-old Elmont man was arrested Wednesday in a string of residential burglaries, and a woman who lives with him also was arrested, charged with using a credit card stolen in one of those break-ins, Nassau County police said.

Richard Ryan, of Evans Avenue, was arrested Wednesday at 2:40 p.m. as he exited the Goldis Pawn Shop in Hempstead, police said. He was charged with six counts of second-degree burglary.

Police said Sheila Rivera, 34, of the same address, surrendered to officers at police headquarters in Mineola at 9:20 p.m. Wednesday. She was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

Ryan and Rivera are scheduled for arraignment Thursday in First District Court in Hempstead.

The suspects’ relationship was not immediately known.

Police said that, between late March and Wednesday, Ryan burglarized at least four homes, including three in Elmont — on Hunnewell Avenue on April 25, on Oakley Avenue on Monday and on Evans Avenue on Wednesday. A home on Geranium Avenue in Floral Park was burglarized on March 31, police said.

Laptop computers, jewelry and credit cards were taken during the burglaries, police said. Police said “a large quantity” of items were recovered at his home after the arrest.

Police said the investigation by Major Case Bureau detectives also revealed that Rivera had attempted to use a credit card stolen during one of the burglaries to purchase merchandise at a Walmart store in Valley Stream on April 25.

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.”