Valley Stream synagogue burglarized, Nassau police say

Cash and a camera were stolen and a security camera system was damaged in a Saturday burglary of a Valley Stream synagogue, Nassau County police said. 

Three males, whom police have not yet identified, entered the Temple Gates of Zion on North Corona Avenue through an unlocked door around 5:30 p.m. and damaged the temple's security camera system. They then stole the Canon and an unknown amount of cash, according to a police news release.

Rabbi Zaman Berkowitz, who is principal of Cheder at the Ohel, a school that operates out of the same building as the synagogue, said the door entered usually locks automatically and may have malfunctioned. 

He said that between $10 and $20 in rolled coins were taken, as well as a $50 bill from his desk drawer. The Canon camera stolen is worth around $300, he said. Two expired credit cards were also taken but the rabbi said he was unsure anything else had gone missing, 

"Most of the things were just tampered with — things were opened, left open, thrown around, things were broken. The damage was not a substantial amount but that's something that we're going to have to get some people hired to fix," he said.

"It's a very strange thing because it doesn't look like there was any type of intent over here, it was just people coming and leaving," he added.

Security equipment was damaged, personal belongings were rifled through and a ladder going to the roof was broken but other valuables, such as laptops, were not taken, he said. 

Berkowitz said the school had already been trying to ramp up security by working with the local police precinct, and keeping a close eye on security cameras. The school has also applied for a grant from a private organization to improve security, he said.

Nassau police say an investigation is ongoing and ask anyone with information to call the county Crime Stoppers line at 1-800-244-TIPS.

By Brianne Ledda

brianne.ledda@newsday.com@brianne_ledda

Brianne Ledda covers personal finance and affordability for Newsday. She previously covered Southold and Greenport for The Suffolk Times and is a graduate of Stony Brook University.