Police closed down what is being described as an illegal “yard sale” and scrap yard that had been located at 1600 Montauk Highway in Mastic. The business was operating without the property owners consent for months, according to a statement about the operation released by Brookhaven Town.
Enforcing a New York State Supreme Court order, on August 27, the Town of Brookhaven Law Department and Department of Recycling and Sustainable Materials Management with assistance from the Suffolk County Police Department’s Seventh Precinct shut down the operation in rear parking lot of the shopping center at the address.
“The action by the Town was executed with the full cooperation of the property owner who attempted to remove the illegal business earlier this year but was unsuccessful,” the statement said.
There had been a number of complaints by adjacent commercial property owners and local residents about the scrap yard. Action against the illegal operation and clean-up had been delayed as a result of the courts being closed due to the COVID-19 virus.
“The hard-working people of Mastic deserve a much better quality of life and we will not allow illegal activity like this to threaten the community,” said Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine said, also adding thanks to law enforcement for helping to shut down the illegal business.
Town Councilman Dan Panico, who represents the Sixth Council District said that the situation would have been resolved long ago if the District Court was functioning.
“However, the Town was successful in obtaining an order from the State Supreme Court to address the issues at this property,” he said.