Exclusive: Porch Pirate Kicks In Door And Confronts Homeowner, 1-Year-Old Child
NESCONSET, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - Police say an aggressive Long Island porch pirate wasn't satisfied grabbing a delivery package and attempted to burglarize a home when he came face-to-face with the homeowner and the man's 1-year-old son.
The family got the fright of their lives confronting the aggressive thief, reports CBS2's Jennifer McLogan.
Hans Staats was upstairs with his napping 12-month-old son, Thomas, when his wife was alerted at work that someone at the front of their house in Nesconset was stealing a package containing a Halloween costume on Wednesday afternoon.
Tina Staats, at work, got the alert from their doorbell camera smart home security system and called her husband in a panic.
Hans, with his son, heard the commotion below. He was home waiting for new appliances to be delivered, as the family just moved in four months ago.
Police say the suspected burglar then went to the rear of the house and kicked in a backdoor leading to the garage and stole a power washer.
"The guy walked from the front door to this garage, went through this gate and around the side of the house," said Hans. "He literally kicked the deadbolt and lock completely through."
The suspect and Hans, who was carrying his 1-year-old son, then confronted each other and the intruder fled with the package and the power washer.
"I'm like, where you going?" said Hans. "I took a picture of his license plate. As soon as he went to drive away, I called 911."
On Thursday, Suffolk County Police arrested 54-year-old Daniel Culotta of Smithtown and charged him with second-degree burglary and petit larceny.
According to investigators, Culotta was seen by one of the homeowners stealing a package containing a lion Halloween costume from the front of the house on Wednesday afternoon.
After an investigation, detectives said they identified Culotta as the burglar and arrested him at America's Best Value Inn, located at 755 Smithtown Bypass, Smithtown, around 10 p.m.
"He's going where he belongs," said Hans. "I mean the guy's got a rap sheet. He's done this several times already."
In court, it was revealed defendant Culotta has six prior felony convictions, including one deemed violent.
Butculotta's defense attorney, Jonathan Manley, says those crimes were in the past.
"He's been a hard-working construction worker for the last 15 years," said Manley. "Got a family, a wife, children, and I am surprised by the allegations."
The judge ordered him held on a $100,000 bond.
The burgled items, including baby Thomas's Halloween costume, have yet to be recovered.
