Riverhead blotter: Man reports mugging after grabbing cash from ATM

A Riverhead man reported being robbed and assaulted after taking cash out of an ATM at the Riverhead Centre shopping center on Route 58 last week, police said.

After removing $400 from the Chase ATM in the Waldbaum’s shopping center about 5 p.m. last Tuesday, the man started walking towards his home, located on Middle Road, when an unknown man approached him from the woods, according to a report.

The stranger punched the victim in the face, and forced the victim to the ground with the help of another unknown man, police said. One of the men reached into the victim’s jacket pocket removing the $400 before fleeing on foot, authorities said. Detectives are investigating.

• A 29-year-old Riverhead man was arrested after his parole officer found four hypodermic needles and a number of glassine envelopes in the man’s jacket pocket last week, police said.

Brant Ovsianik was arrested and charged with criminal possession of a hypodermic instrument on Hallett Street about 5:45 a.m. last Tuesday, according to a report.

In Oct. 2011, Mr. Ovsianik was arrested on multiple felony charges after he and another man broke into a gas station on Main Road in Cutchogue, and13 vehicles parked near the station, stealing contents within, according to a prior News-Review story.

Mr. Ovsianik was held for morning arraignment.

• Copper piping was reported stolen from several Baiting Hollow cottages last week, police said.

A Woodcliff Park resident reported about $250 worth of copper had been stolen from underneath the home about 1:50 p.m. Tuesday, according to a report.

About two hours later, another resident reported copper piping had been cut out and stolen from two other cottages on Neptune Place, which is located within the park, police said.

On Friday, another Neptune Place resident reported copper had been stolen shortly after noon, police said.

Detectives are investigating.

• About $5,000 worth of blue foam and a blue tarp were reported stolen from the Riverhead Yacht Club early Saturday, police said.

The items were reported stolen about 9:30 a.m., according to a report. Additional information was not immediately available.

• A Thanksgiving-eve East End DWI Task Force operation led to four arrests in Riverhead Town between the hours of 7 p.m. Wednesday and 4 a.m. Thursday, police said.

The following four drivers were charged with DWI as a result of the operation: Rogelio Romero, 45, of Riverhead, David Dougherty, 35, of Kings Park, Carlos Franco-Oliva, 23, of Flanders, and Dawn Philips, 51, of Riverside.

• A 27-year-old Riverhead woman was arrested after crashing into a vehicle on Sunrise Highway and leaving the scene Sunday, county police said.

Amanda Harris was arrested about 11:45 a.m. in Patchogue after the Jeep she was operating collided with a Nissan on Sunrise Highway in Bohemia, according to a report.

Ms. Harris was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage, according to a report. She is due in court late January.

Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.