A Nassau grand jury indicted Wednesday a Valley Stream man, who authorities described as a serial purse-snatcher, on burglary and theft charges for five crimes on three different dates in March and April of this year, Nassau prosecutors said. 
Sean Gluck, 36, faces four counts of burglary, seven counts of grand larceny and one count of petit larceny. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Wednesday morning and is due back in court on Oct. 5. Bail was set at $150,000 bond or $75,000 cash.
On March 15, Gluck entered Beach Bum Tanning in North Merrick and stole the front desk employee’s purse, prosecutors said. Then on March 21, Gluck entered Beach Bum Tanning in Plainview and stole the desk employee’s pocketbook, prosecutors said.
He then struck three times on April 15. He stole an employee’s duffel bag from Massaro’s Pizzeria in Mineola, an employee’s pocketbook from the hostess stand at St. James restaurant and an employee’s pocketbook from Starbucks in Plainview, prosecutors said.
Nassau police 8th Squad detectives arrested Gluck on April 24.
“The defendant’s crime sprees wreak havoc on the personal finances of his victims,” Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice said in a statement. “He is clearly incapable of living an honest life and my office will do everything we can to ensure this latest crime spree is his last.”
In January 2007, Gluck earned the nickname “The Gym Bandit” after he stole car keys from various gyms and then stole items from the victims’ vehicles, Rice said. Gluck served eight months in jail on those charges. Less than two months after being released from jail in September 2007, Gluck struck again, this time stealing wallets and pocketbooks from gyms in Woodbury, Glen Cove, Merrick, and Baldwin, and a Hewlett bagel store, Rice said. He later served five months in jail for those charges.
Gluck is represented by the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County, which has a policy of not commenting on cases. If convicted, he faces 20 years in prison.
