Four Teens Charged In String Of Home Burglaries On Long Island

EAST SETAUKET, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Four people have been arrested in connection with a string of burglaries on Long Island.

The suspects, three men and one woman, were arrested around 12:10 p.m. Wednesday after allegedly breaking into a home in East Setauket.

Three of the suspects were caught by police after their car was stopped on Black Locust Avenue, while the last suspect -- who fled on foot -- was arrested after hiding in a shed behind a home on Partridge Lane, police said.

WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reports

Authorities believe the four are responsible for burglarizing six homes in Selden, Setauket, Miller Place and Port Jefferson since Feb. 21.

The suspects would drive around for hours looking for homes to burglarize, police said.

"They would look for houses that didn't have cars in the driveway, they would knock on the front door and if somebody answered they would ask for somebody that obviously didn't live there," Sgt. Edward Aki said. "When they realized there was nobody home, they would go around back and try to find an open window. And if they couldn't find one, they would kick in the back door."

The suspects made off with electronics and jewelry that they would later sell to friends for cash, Aki said.

In the last incident, Aki said the group also broke a sink and flooded the house.

Colleen Elam, an 18-year-old college student from Selden, Maurice Jones, 18, of Centereach, Sion Sosa, 17, of Centereach, and Darnell Loften, 19, of Middle Island, are facing charges of burglary and possession of burglar's tools.

Jones is facing an additional charge of resisting arrest. Sosa has also been charged with criminal mischief and criminal trespass.

Detectives are looking into whether the four were involved in other burglaries in the area.

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