Police: Man, 15-year-old son thwart paddle-wielding burglar

A Uniondale man was asleep in bed when he was suddenly awakened by a frightening sight: a burglar standing over him, demanding food and money, police said Wednesday.

The burglar, who police identified as Keno Jamell Ramsay, 19, and the victim "struggled" inside the bedroom of the 53-year-old man's Atom Court home shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday, Nassau Det. Let. Richard LeBrun said.

Ramsay grabbed a large wooden paddle in the man's bedroom and "repeatedly began swinging it at the victim," but the man successfully fought him off, LeBrun said.

The man called out for help from his 15-year-old son, who called 911, giving police detailed information during a seven-minute call, LeBrun said. The man subdued Ramsay until police arrived, LeBrun said.

"This 15-year-old did an outstanding job; he stayed calm," LeBrun said. "He gave appropriate identification and exactly where the individual was in the home."

Neither the man nor his son's names were released by police. But in an interview with News 12 Long Island, the man, who didn't give his name, said: "You're not gonna steal from my family. You're not gonna steal from my community. I did what I had to do."

The victim had minor injuries and was treated by Nassau police ambulance medical technicians at the scene but refused further medical attention, LeBrun said.

Ramsay, who had entered the home by jimmying open a basement window, was arrested without incident. Before he woke up the victim, Ramsay took about $500 worth of glass knickknacks from the home and placed them outside the basement window, LeBrun said.

Ramsay, of 120-27 224 St., Cambria Heights, Queens, was charged with first-degree burglary, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and second-degree attempted robbery. At his arraignment in First District Court in Hempstead Wednesday, he was ordered held on $150,000 cash bail or bond, online court records show.

With Gary Dymski

By Nicole Fuller

nicole.fuller@newsday.com@NicoleFuller

Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.