Police: Man broke car in scheme to fix it

A Bellmore mechanic's scheme was a nonstarter, police said.

Officers said Thomas M. Cirino, 56, an auto mechanic who lives on Dewey Place in Bellmore, decided to make sure a neighbor's car wouldn't start so he could repair it -- for a fee.

That was Cirino's story, officers said, after a witness saw him allegedly tampering with the vehicle Tuesday at about 10 p.m. in Bellmore.

Police said the vehicle was parked on Grand Avenue near Petit Avenue and that Cirino told them he was tampering with it so it wouldn't start.

"He then planned to offer his services to repair the damage for a fee," police said in a news release. Police did not describe how Cirino had tampered with the vehicle.

Cirino was arrested at his home Tuesday night after the alleged incident and charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief. Police said he also was found to have an open warrant issued in Hempstead Village for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle dating to Feb. 14, 2008.

He was scheduled for arraignment Wednesday in First District Court in Hempstead.