Charges in Port Jeff Station car break-in

A passerby who police said saw a man breaking into a car near the Port Jefferson Long Island Rail Road station alerted a village constable, who then found and arrested the man.

The incident took place at an auto collision repair center adjacent to the railroad parking lot in Port Jefferson Station at 8:40 p.m. Wednesday, Suffolk County police said.

Arrested was Jeffrey Edsall, 41, of 94 Case Ave., Patchogue, who was caught, police said, in the process of breaking the driver's side window of a 2004 Mitsubishi Gallant with a large rock.

Police said Constable George Gernhart was on patrol near the station when a passerby alerted him to the incident taking place in the parking lot.

Gernhart notified police while he attempted to locate the suspect. Police said he then saw Edsall breaking the window of the car, which was parked inside a fenced area belonging to G & B Collision on Railroad Avenue. Gernhart and two other constables, Dominic Messina and Lt. John Borrero, held Edsall until police arrived.

Edsall was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief, criminal trespass and with outstanding warrants.

He is scheduled for arraignment Thursday in First District Court in Central Islip.