Cops Nab Serial Church Burglar

A Hempstead man’s luck finally ran out over the weekend, as he was arrested in connection with a burglary attempt—his sixth since February 2013.

According to detectives, Denis Alvarado, 29, was arrested after setting off the alarm at St. Hyacinth Church in Glen Head on Jan. 18. After responding to a 911 call, cops observed Alvarado exiting the church and running into a wooded area to evade arrest. Glen Cove police officers chased down the suspect and apprehended him without further incident.

After an investigation, it was determined that Alvarado was responsible other area burglaries, including: Feb. 10, 2013 at St. Hyacinth Church, where he stole a guitar and speakers; March 2, 2014, at St. Aidan’s Church in Williston Park, where a television went missing; and Nov. 14, 2014, at St. Patrick’s Church in Glen Cove, where he made away with an iPad, a computer and a hard drive. He then struck three more times at St. Hyacinth on Dec. 1, 21 and finally on Jan. 18, when he was caught. During those final three incidents, Alvarado stole from the church’s poor boxes.