Police: Suffolk County Pair Charged With Stealing Home Heating Oil

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - Two Suffolk County residents were arrested Saturday night for allegedly stealing home heating oil from eight vacant homes in the Mastic area, Suffolk police announced.

Frank Dawson, 46, and Towania McCrae, 44, were arrested after officers saw them pumping home heating oil from an underground storage tank of a home on Hampton Avenue, police said.

After allegedly stealing the oil, the pair then transferred the heating oil to three storage tanks in the pack of Dawson's pickup truck, according to police.

After the arrests, Dawson took police to the seven other Mastic homes where he had previously stolen home heating oil, police said.

Dawson was charged with eight counts of Petit Larceny, one count of Criminal Trespass and one count of Possession of Burglar's Tools.

McCrae was charged with one count of Petit Larceny and one count of Possession of Burglar's Tools.

Dawson and McCrae are scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on April 3, 2013.

An investigation into the case in ongoing.