The defendants were allegedly found hiding in bushes with two pairs of handcuffs
Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a West Babylon woman and a Bay Shore man have been arraigned on indictment charges related to their alleged theft of more than $9,000 from a Farmingdale house in January.
Alissa Colascione, 30, and Steven Morrow, 21, were arraigned today before Acting Supreme Court Justice Patricia Harrington on charges of Burglary in the 2nd Degree (a C violent felony), Grand Larceny in the 3rd Degree (a D Felony), Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the 3rd Degree (a D felony) and Criminal Mischief in the 4th Degree (an A misdemeanor).
The defendants were remanded and are due back in court April 14. Bail was continued at $240,000 bond or $120,000 cash for Colascione and $180,000 bond or $90,000 cash for Morrow. If convicted of the top count, the defendants face a maximum of 15 years in prison.
“The defendants allegedly broke into a woman’s home at night—armed with handcuffs—and ransacked her possessions,” DA Singas said. “Thanks to a quick response by Nassau County police officers, the defendants were apprehended shortly after the alleged burglary.”
DA Singas said on January 6, 2017, at approximately 8:05 p.m., the victim was dropped off by friends at her home in Farmingdale. When she entered her home, the victim noticed what appeared to be the shadow of a person standing in her kitchen. The victim then ran out of her house to rejoin her friends and together they called 911. The homeowner and her friends observed two people allegedly running out of her yard.
Members of the Nassau County Police Department responded quickly, discovered the defendants hiding in bushes, and arrested them. The police recovered approximately $9,453 in cash allegedly stolen from the home along with one pair of handcuffs on the ground nearby. Police allegedly recovered another pair of handcuffs when they searched Morrow. The defendants are also accused of stealing a pill case, a mesh bag, and a pouch.
After the incident the victim discovered that there was no dial tone to her home phone and found that the phone wires to her house had allegedly been tampered with.
ADA Gregory Murphy of DA Singas’ County Court Trial Bureau is prosecuting this case. Colascione is represented by Dana Grossblatt, Esq., and Morrow is represented by the Legal Aid Society.
The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.
