Mineola, NY - December 2, 2015 - Acting Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Howard Beach man was arraigned today on a 21-count indictment for a string of commercial burglaries in Nassau between January and June 2015, in which he allegedly stole more than $200,000 in jewelry, cash and other items.
Joseph Borelli, 42, was arraigned before Acting Supreme Court Justice Helene Gugerty on ten counts of Burglary in the 3rd Degree (a D felony), ten counts of Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree (a D felony) and Possession of Burglar’s Tools (an A misdemeanor). The defendant was held on $450,000 cash or bond bail and is due back in court Jan. 5. He faces a maximum of 3-1/2 to seven years in prison on each top count.
“The defendant’s alleged avarice knew no bounds and he stole everything from lottery tickets at mom and pop delis to jewelry at boutique stores,” Acting DA Singas said. “The defendant’s alleged ‘smash and grab’ burglary spree ended when our partners in the Nassau County Police Department, working with our office, arrested him in June.”
Acting DA Singas said that officers in the NCPD 3rd Squad initially identified a burglary pattern and working with the NCPD DA Squad and the NCDA Organized Crime and Rackets Bureau assisted in a six-month-long investigation, obtaining warrants and helping to track and arrest Borelli and his co-defendants, Edan Balila and Rotem Balila, both from Great Neck. Video surveillance and court-authorized GPS tracking helped bring the arrests.
Borelli is charged with conducting overnight ‘smash-and-grab’ burglaries at the following ten locations on or about the following dates:
Jan. 7, 2015
Kardesh Jewelers, 2370 Bellmore Road, Merrick
Stolen: approx. $50,000 worth of jewelry
Jan. 10, 2015
Cookshop Deli, 374 Great Neck Rd., Great Neck
Stolen: approx. $500 cash and lottery tickets
Jan. 31, 2015
Loucri Jewelers, 55 Northern Blvd., Greenvale
Stolen: approx. $75,000 worth of jewelry
Feb. 13, 2015
Messina Market, 6255 Northern Blvd., East Norwich
Stolen: approx. $3,000 cash
Feb. 28, 2015
Westbury Jewelry Exchange, 1083 Old Country Rd., New Cassel
Stolen: approx. $100,000 worth of jewelry
April 21, 2015
Lana’s Jewelry Store, 29 Hicksville Rd., Massapequa
Stolen: approx. $10,000 worth of jewelry and watches
May 11, 2015
Shoe Repair, 521 W. Merrick Rd., Valley Stream
Stolen: approx. $7,000 worth of jewelry
May 19, 2015
Maddy Fine Jewelers, 113 Jackson Ave., Syosset
Stolen: approx. $30,000 worth of jewelry
May 25, 2015
Bagelman of Great Neck, 491 Great Neck Rd., Great Neck
Stolen: approx. $200 cash
June 16, 2015
B&D Deli, 667 Old Country Road, Plainview
Stolen: loose change
Co-defendants Edan Balila and Rotem Balila both pleaded guilty to one count of Burglary in the 3rd Degree and are awaiting sentencing.
Deputy Bureau Chief Anne Donnelly of Acting DA Singas’s Organized Crime and Rackets Bureau is prosecuting the case. Borelli is represented by Christopher Becktel, Esq. Rotem Balila is represented by Oscar Holt, Esq., and Edan Balila is represented by Paul Delle, Esq.
The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.