Million-dollar home burglary ring busted after 5 months, police say

Three men have been arrested in a five-month burglary ring of million-dollar homes, Nassau County police said Saturday.

The Nassau police Burglary Pattern Squad followed seven burglaries from May 12 through Tuesday in Old Westbury, Manhasset, Woodbury and Jericho. The homes that were burglarized range in value from $1 million to more than $5 million and their owners include several Long Island executives, according to property records.

The burglaries primarily occurred on Fridays and Saturdays between 8:30 and 9:30 p.m., with the last burglary recorded Tuesday night, police said. Four homes were struck on the same streets — two a week apart on Laurel Lane in Old Westbury, and two homes two months apart on Stone Hill Drive in Manhasset.

The thieves stole jewelry, cash and other items by entering back doors or windows, police said.

Nassau police gave no additional details, but said the burglary team and the asset forfeiture intelligence unit used video surveillance and background checks. That led to the arrest of Brayan Castano, 30, and Andres Zapata, 20, both of Queens, who were charged with seven counts of second-degree burglary, and Oscar Vera, 27, of San Bernardino, California, who was charged in one burglary.

The three defendants were scheduled to be arraigned Sunday in First District Court in Hempstead.