Westbury man charged in burglary spree after latest victim pushes him down stairs, locks him in basement, police say

A Westbury man suspected in eight home burglaries this month was arrested Monday night after his latest victim pushed him down a flight of stairs and locked him in the basement, police said.

Carlos Morinville, 22, of 268 Magnolia Ave., was burglarizing a home on Sixth Street in New Cassel at around 10 p.m. when a 65-year-old woman spotted him upon noticing the basement light on, Nassau County police said.

When the suspect tried to flee, a 73-year-old male resident pushed him "back down the stairs," police said Tuesday in a news release. Morinville then brandished a box cutter, and the male resident closed and locked the basement door and called police, police said.

Upon investigation, police said they connected Morinville to seven other burglaries in Westbury and New Cassel since the start of June.

The Westbury burglaries were on Maple, Cambridge, Fourth and Albany avenues. The New Cassel break-ins were on Sheridan, Pearl and Hopper streets, police said.

Morinville is charged with first-degree burglary, seven counts of second-degree burglary, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and resisting arrest. He was scheduled for arraignment Tuesday in First District Court, Hempstead.