Cops: Community service volunteer charged with stealing wallets

A Queens man who volunteered at a Long Island hunger relief organization as part of a plea bargain stole wallets from others there, police said.

Nassau County police said that on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, John P. Riolo, 19, of 47-10 59th Pl. in Woodside, went into an Island Harvest office while volunteering there and stole three wallets from three handbags.

A witness saw Riolo steal one of the wallets and called police, officials told Newsday.

A police source told Newsday that Riolo was given the chance to perform the community service as part of a plea agreement following a conviction for driving under the influence of drugs.

Riolo was arrested Wednesday at 1:45 p.m. at Island Harvest offices in Mineola.

He was charged with four counts of fourth-degree grand larceny and was scheduled for arraignment Thursday in First District Court in Hempstead, they said. Arraignment details were not immediately known.

Island Harvest is the largest hunger relief group on Long Island, the organization says on its Web site.

Officials were not immediately available for comment.