Crime & Safety

Police: Duo Committed 6 Burglaries, Stole Purple Heart

Deer Park Motor Inn residents took a purple heart medal from a West Babylon home, police said.

A man and woman were arrested Saturday afternoon and charged with breaking into six homes in two weeks in the Town of Babylon, including the theft of a purple heart medal from a World War II Veteran's home, police said. 

According to Suffolk County police, officers arrested Ryan O'Malley and Nicole Oliva after they were seen in a Dodge Durango parked at the Deer Park Motor Inn on Commack Road tht matched the description of a vehicle used during a recent burglary.

The officers found a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun in Oliva’s possession, police said.

Find out what's happening in Commackwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

First Squad detectives said the pair was responsible for a half dozen burglaries in the First Precinct.

During one burglary, the pair allegedly stole a Purple Heart from the West Babylon home of Thomas Barden, who received the medal after being shot in the head during the invasion of Normandy in 1944. The medal was recovered, police said.

Find out what's happening in Commackwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

O’Malley, 33, and Oliva, 29, were each charged with six counts of burglary, possession of burglar's tools and criminal possession of a controlled substance. Oliva was also charged with criminal possession of a weapon. 

The duo, who police said live at the motel, will be arraigned Monday at First District Court in Central Islip.


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