Cops: Men posing as workers burglarized Ronkonkoma hotel
Matthew Caroli, 35, of East Patchogue, was arrested on Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016, and charged with burglary after he and an accomplice, Ryan Demarco, 31, of Coram, posed as maintenance workers and tried to rob guests at knifepoint at the Clarion Hotel in Ronkonkoma, police said. Credit: SCPD
Two men were charged with burglary after they posed as maintenance workers and tried to rob guests at a Ronkonkoma hotel at knifepoint early Sunday morning, Suffolk County police said.
The incident occurred at about 5:30 a.m. at the Clarion Hotel on Veterans Memorial Highway, police said.
Police said the suspects, Matthew Caroli, 35, and Ryan Demarco, 31, entered the hotel wearing masks and armed with a knife, then forced their way into a room where two men and a woman were asleep.
Once inside, police said the pair demanded cash, jewelry and a vehicle belonging to one of the victims.
But, police said, instead of complying with the demands, the victims fought off the suspects, subduing one while the other suspect fled.
The second suspect ran down the hall where police said he grabbed a fourth victim, holding a knife to that person, then attempted to hide in a room.
Responding Fifth Precinct officers were able to locate and arrest both men.
It was not immediately clear if the victims were picked at random or if they were targeted.
Caroli, of 183 Union Ave., East Patchogue, and Demarco, of 32 Pauls Path, Coram, each were charged with two counts of first-degree burglary, police said.
During the investigation, police said they found Caroli was linked to two bank robberies this year on Long Island: one at a Chase Bank branch on Route 112 in Patchogue on April 21 and another at an Astoria Federal Savings bank branch on Middle Country Road in Coram on July 26.
Caroli was scheduled for arraignment Monday in First District Court in Central Islip.
Police said Demarco was injured during the incident and was transported to a hospital for treatment.
He faces arraignment at a later date.
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.”
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