Cops: Man stole manhole covers for scrap
Ronald Dimarzo, 45, of Ronkonkoma faces larceny and reckless endangerment charges after police said he stole manhole covers from the parking lots of local businesses so he could sell them for scrap. (April 14, 2011) Credit: SCPD
A Ronkonkoma man who stole manhole covers to sell them for scrap was charged with larceny and reckless endangerment for creating "a dangerous situation to anyone walking in the vicinity of the open manholes," police said.
Suffolk police said Ronald Dimarzo, 45, of 706A Round Pond Rd., targeted businesses in Suffolk and removed iron manhole covers from their parking lots in the early morning with the intent of selling them for scrap.
Dimarzo stole the covers from businesses along Portion Road in Ronkonkoma and Lake Ronkonkoma, as well as along County Road 83 in Farmingville, police said. Other locations were not immediately known.
The thefts created a dangerous situation, police said, because the missing covers left the large sewer wells uncovered and unprotected.
"The rescue of a victim falling into these areas would be difficult and dangerous for emergency responders," said police, who added that there were no reported injuries.
Dimarzo was arrested Thursday and charged with six counts of petty larceny, six counts of second-degree reckless endangerment, attempted petty larceny and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.
Recent indicators show scrap iron and pig iron selling for more than $300 per ton. The average manhole cover generally weighs about 100 pounds but can weigh more than 250 pounds, according to manufacturing guidelines.
'I'm going to try to avoid it' A trip to the emergency room in a Long Island hospital now averages nearly 4 hours, data shows. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
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