Police: Men Broke Into Manorville, L.I. House; Tried To Rent It Out Fraudulently
MANORVILLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Two men have been arrested and charged in a rental scam on Long Island, in which they allegedly broke into a home and rented it fraudulently as one of them pretended to be the landlord.
Jose Laboy, 27, and Barry McDaniel, 40, allegedly broke into the vacant home on Sunrise Service Road North in Manorville sometime between Friday and Sunday, and changed the locks, police said. An ad then appeared on Craigslist under the "Rooms and Shares" section, advertising a home for rent in both English and Spanish, police said.
The ad claimed the home was in Center Moriches, police said.
An interested person showed up and gave Laboy a $1,300 deposit after Laboy claimed to be the landlord, police said. The homeowner called police on Sunday when he returned to find Laboy and McDaniel inside, police said.
Laboy, of Shirley, and McDaniel, or Coram, were both charged with burglary, criminal possession of stolen property, and possession of burglary tools, police said. Laboy was also charged with grand larceny.
Both were held overnight for arraignment at Suffolk County First District Court in Central Islip on Monday, police said.
The investigation continued Monday evening. Anyone who believes he or she may have been a victim was asked to call the Suffolk County police Seventh Squad at (631) 852-8752.
