Hempstead man charged in thefts from Nassau churches six times, cops say

A Hempstead man has been charged with six counts of burglary in thefts from three Nassau County churches over nearly two years, Nassau police said Sunday.

Police said Denis Alvarado, 29, of 50 Jackson St., was arrested Sunday after he was caught fleeing from the back of St. Hyacinth Church in Glen Head.

Glen Cove officers, who had responded to a 12:46 a.m. burglary alarm, chased down Alvarado as he ran into a wooded area, Nassau police said.

Detectives from Nassau County's Third Squad discovered that Alvarado is a suspect in five other burglaries, including three at St. Hyacinth and others at St. Aidan's Church in Williston Park and Glen Cove's St. Patrick's Church.

Police said the first burglary occurred at the Glen Head church on Feb. 10, 2013, when a guitar and a pair of column speakers were stolen. On March 2, 2014, at the Williston Park church, a television was taken from an altar, police said.

On Nov. 14, 2014, police said, an iPad, computer hard drive and Apple computer were taken from St. Patrick's in Glen Cove.

At St. Hyacinth on Dec. 1, police said, cash was taken from poor boxes and clothing and home goods were stolen. At the same church on Dec. 21, cash from five poor boxes was taken, police said. On Sunday morning, the theft was from poor boxes, police said.

Alvarado is charged with six counts of third-degree burglary.

He is to be arraigned Monday at First District Court in Hempstead.

By Scott Eidler

scott.eidler@newsday.com@ScottEidler

Scott Eidler covers Nassau County government and politics for Newsday. Scott has worked at Newsday since 2012 and previously covered municipal government and education.