Hicksville business lowers price of ice; police nab residents allegedly siphoning gas
In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy and Winter Storm Athena, Hicksville residents have been put to the test as uncertainties loom regarding electricity returning to homes and the availability of gasoline.
One day before the snow blanketed the northeast, the Second Squad reported the arrest of two Hicksville residents and one Sea Cliff resident, who allegedly siphoned gas from vehicles parked at Lifetime Fitness in Jericho at approximately 2:40 p.m. on Nov. 6.
According to detectives, defendant John Mullaly, 30, of Hicksville, was observed in the parking lot of Lifetime Fitness pulling on door handles of vehicles in the lot. A Second Precinct Officer stopped Mullaly and during the investigation, defendants Michael Ioveno 37, of Hicksville, and Jaclyn Accetta, 23, of Sea Cliff, approached the officer and a subsequent investigation revealed that the three defendants were attempting to siphon gasoline from vehicles, police explained.
Ioveno was found to be in possession of a hypodermic needle and a long tube and funnel were discovered in his 1998 Dodge Ram Truck, police said, and Accetta was found to have a red plastic gas can with no cap and a small amount of gasoline in her 2009 Nissan Rogue.
Mullaly was charged with attempted petit larceny, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree and criminally possessing a hypodermic instrument. Ioveno was charged with attempted petit larceny, possession of burglar tools and criminally possessing a hypodermic needle. Accetta was charged with attempted petit larceny and possession of burglar tools. All three defendants were arraigned on Nov. 7 at First District Court in Hempstead.
On the other hand, residents could count on one local business during the storms, Hicksville Beer and Soda, located on 70 Woodbury Road. Andrew Preston, who has owned the store since late January, lowered the price of ice by $1 following Superstorm Sandy.
“In the days after the storm, even without power, he was there selling ice and trying to reach out to the community. Andrew should be commended and was truly a shining light during an otherwise trying time,” said longtime Hicksville resident Ted Urban in an email to the Hicksville Illustrated News.
Preston, who formerly worked at Port Beer and Soda in Port Washington and attended Utica College, kept residents updated through the Hicksville Beer and Soda’s Facebook page.
“Everyone has been through tough times recently and we should all think of ways we can help. There is devastation all around us in places we call home, but nothing can stop us if we stick together and help out in anyway we can,” Preston said via Facebook.
The storeowner also offered the use of his walk-in refrigerator and a section of one of his freezers for local residents in the event of another power outage.
“As a father of a 7-year-old daughter, knowing that my family has someplace like this in our community makes me very happy,” Urban said.
