Deer Park man charged in tire puncture spree
Scott Silverman, 56, of Deer Park, is led out of the First Precinct in West Babylon Monday morning, Nov. 10, 2014, for arraignment in First District Court in Central Islip. Silverman is charged with 19 counts of criminal mischief, accused of damaging the tires on nearly two dozen vehicles, police said. Credit: James Carbone
An unemployed butcher from Deer Park has been charged with puncturing the tires on 20 vehicles in a spree that lasted about a month, Suffolk County police said.
Scott Silverman, 56, of 68 Irving Place, was arrested at home Sunday night and charged with 19 misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief and one felony count of third-degree criminal mischief on a vehicle that had more than one tire damaged, police said.
From early October through early this month, Silverman would use a "sharp object" to puncture one to two tires per vehicle, including some parked at the Deer Park Library, Deer Park Bowl, a local Waldbaum's and a Stop & Shop, where he had been the butcher, according to First Precinct crime section officers John Focas and Madeline Cunningham.
The investigators found witnesses, who identified Silverman from photos, said crime section Sgt. Frank Messana.
It was not immediately clear how many tires were damaged in all and Silverman's motive remains a puzzle, Messana said.
Silverman was arraigned Monday in First District Court in Central Islip. Bail was set at $75,000 bond or $24,000 cash. He was represented by Legal Aid, which does not comment on cases.
Police ask anyone with information regarding other possibly related vandalism to call the First Precinct crime section at 631-854-8126.
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
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