Patchogue man charged in Main Street burglaries

Riverhead police have arrested a Patchogue man suspected of burglarizing two Main St. businesses this fall, and stealing from an outlet store and a downtown apartment complex.

Saquon Blount, 26, has been charged with two felonies for allegedly breaking into Mugs on Main on Oct. 29 and Star’s Confectionery on Nov. 12. Cash was stolen in both cases, according to police — $10,000 in the Star’s burglary, owner Anthony Meras told the Riverhead News-Review last month.

Police said Mr. Blount was also charged with two counts of petit larceny for alleged thefts at the Nike Factory Store and the Riverhead Lofts apartments on Main St.

Mr. Meras, a third-generation owner of the downtown diner, said he was thrilled to hear the news.

“I was so happy for the detectives and the Riverhead Police Dept. They worked so hard, and they kept in touch with me the whole time.”

Last month, Mr. Meras opened up his diner to find that somebody had pried open the basement door to gain entry, and then stole $10,000 from his safe. He also lost his prized collection of $2 bills, a family tradition he learned from his mother.

The night after the burglary, one of his longtime waitresses launched a GoFundMe page for Mr. Meras and his family, and within 12 hours — after more than 130 individual donations, the campaign reached its $10,000 goal.

Mr. Meras was happy that an arrest has been made, but still a little shaken about the first burglary of his family’s restaurant since it opened on Main St. more than a century ago.

“It’s mixed emotions. I still feel like it’s kind of tough that someone was in the store and all, but I’m super excited for the police dept. They work hard, those guys.”

The owners of Mugs on Main were not available for comment, and it was not immediately clear whether Mr. Blount has retained an attorney.