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Cops: Ex-con broke into Riverhead allergy clinic, shut off power

Joseph Reiter

A 37-year-old man was arrested Monday after reportedly shutting off the power at an allergy clinic on Route 58 in Riverhead and breaking into the building, according to a police press release.

Riverhead Town police and the department’s K-9 unit responded to East End Allergy after receiving a call about the power outage and located Joseph Reiter of Riverhead attempting to leave the area, officials said.

Police found the power had been manually shut off and the window screens located at the rear of the building had been removed, officials said.

The K-9 investigation also found Mr. Reiter, who had an active parole warrant, had been at the rear of the building and near the electrical panel, police said.

He was arrested and charged with third-degree attempted criminal trespass, officials said.

Mr. Reiter, whose girlfriend Kristina Tfelt was the victim of a fatal hit-and-run in July 2013 on Route 58, has also been convicted of stealing cars.

According to the New York Department of Corrections, Mr. Reiter had served time for two convictions. In 2007, he was convicted of two counts of grand larceny in the fourth degree for stealing automobiles, as well as criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, both felonies. He served three and a half months. He also served time between 2009 and 2010 after being convicted of attempted grand larceny in the third degree and criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, both felonies.

In September 2013, Southold Town police arrested Mr. Reiter in Cutchogue and said he robbed a man of his gold chain in Greenport, fled in a stolen car, and proceeded to crash it while being chased by cops.

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