Crimes Nearby: Cops Foil Man’s Supposed Meetup with 13-Year-Old

THREE VILLAGE

• New York State Police said a 62-year-old East Setauket man was about to meet what he thought was a 13-year-old girl in upstate New York for a sexual affair when instead, he was arrested by undercover police. According to police, Michael Ripp had made plans to meet a girl "for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct." However the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Attorney General’s Office, the State Police Computer Crimes Unit, and State Police units had tracked the meet-up and arrested Ripp on charges of attempted dissemination of indecent material to a minor, a felony, and attempted endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. He was arraigned in an Albany court and held without bail.

• Suffolk police are investigating the theft of a car from the parking lot of Sunrise Senior Living in East Setauket last week. The vehicle, a 1999 Plymouth Breeze, went missing sometime between 1:35 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Jan. 3. The management at Sunrise could not immediately be reached for comment. The incident is being investigated as fourth-degree grand larceny.

SMITHTOWN

• A 17-year-old Bay Shore boy was arrested on Jan. 5 in Smithtown on petty larceny charges, a misdemeanor. The boy allegedly stole two PlayStation controllers, valued at $110, from under a store counter.

• Suffolk County Police are seeking information leading to the arrest of a man who burglarized three Mavis Discount Tire locations late last year, including the Smithtown location. According to police, a white, bald man who appeared to be in his 50s with a stocky build, stole cash and New York State inspection stickers in October and November. Police said the man also stole from the 222 West Main Street in Smithtown location as well as the Centereach and Shirley locations. Information leading to an arrest could be given to Crime Stoppers anonymously by calling 1-800-220-TIPS.

KINGS PARK

• Sufian Ali, 21, of North Babylon, was charged with third degree grand larceny, a felony, on Jan. 4 in Kings Park. According to police, Sufian changed the dollar amount on a check for more than it was written for and deposited it at a Chase bank on 35 Woods Road in North Babylon.

• Karl Werkheiser, 24, of Kings Park, was charged on with fourth degree grand larceny, a felony, on Jan. 3 in Nesconset. According to police, Werkheiser stole a Chase ATM debit card and used it to withdraw money.