Hector Portilla and Diego Ercoli arrrested in string of burglaries in Nassau, police say

Two Queens men caught in the act attempting to burglarize a bagel store in Merrick on Thursday have been charged in connection with a string of 18 additional burglaries dating to April, police said.

Nassau County police said Burglary Pattern Squad detectives arrested the two men — identified as Hector Portilla, 60, of Queens Village, and Diego Ercoli, 50, of Jamaica — during the burglary of the Bagel Chalet at 2037 Merrick Rd. around 9:30 p.m. Thursday. The pattern squad detectives were working in conjunction with 8th Squad detectives, Bureau of Special Operations detectives and Lynbrook police,

The two were then linked to a string of burglaries in New Hyde Park, Oceanside, Mineola, Hicksville, Williston Park, Plainview and Lynbrook, police said.

Beginning on April 20, police said Portilla and Ercoli burglarized: TLC Family Cleaners, 1519 Jericho Tpke., New Hyde Park, and the Ultra Gas station at 1501 Jericho Tpke., New Hyde Park on April 20; Great Deli, 573 Atlantic Ave., Oceanside, and LJ Nails, 575 Atlantic Ave., Oceanside, on July 11; Mineola Laundry, 213 Mineola Blvd., Mineola on July 25; Tandoor, 459 S. Broadway, Hicksville, and Good Rx Pharmacy, 459 S. Broadway, Hicksville, on July 26; Little Tulip Daycare Center, 294A Hillside Ave., Williston Park, Mr. Jay Appliance, 294 Hillside Ave., Williston Park, Harry's Pharmacy, 333 S. Broadway, Hicksville, and Prestige Dental Care, 333 S. Broadway, Hicksville, on July 28; LI Deli Grocery, 151 Levittown Parkway, Hicksville, on July 29; and, Rangoli Beauty Salon, 661 Old Country Rd., Plainview, on July 31.

In addition, police said the pair committed five burglaries in Lynbrook, but did not provide dates, times or locations for those.

The two were each charged with 19 counts of third-degree burglary.

Both Ercoli and Portilla were scheduled for arraignment Friday in First District Court in Hempstead.

It was not immediately clear if either Portilla or Ercoli are represented by counsel.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”