Cops: Smash, grab and spend suspect caught downtown
A suspected robber was nabbed Tuesday afternoon when he allegedly used a credit card at a downtown Riverhead store shortly after stealing it from a car parked in the municipal parking lot north of East Main Street, Riverhead police said.
Officers said they received a report of a man smashing a vehicle’s window, reaching inside of it and then fleeing on foot westbound across the parking lot around 3:35 p.m.
Witnesses provided patrol officers with a physical description of the male subject, and the owner of the vehicle told police that a wallet inside the car was taken, police said.
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Not long after, a credit card from that wallet was allegedly used at Simple Mobile Solutions on Griffing Avenue.
Police said they were then able to locate the male suspect, who they identified as Shawn K. McAvoy, 31, of Mattituck, on nearby Railroad Avenue.
Mr. McAvoy was arrested and charged with 3rd degree criminal mischief, 4th degree grand larceny and 3rd degree identity theft.
Mr. McAvoy has a history of recent arrests, including stealing items from a CVS in August 2014, according to a previous report.
