Crimes Nearby: LI Cop Murdered

West Babylon

A highly decorated New York City police officer who lived in West Babylon was shot and killed Monday morning.

Peter Figoski, 47, was responding to a break-in Monday morning at a Brooklyn apartment. Police say the 22-year veteran was killed by one of the suspects hiding inside the apartment when officers arrived, according to a report in the Huffington Post. Figoski was pronounced dead at 7:17 a.m. at a hospital just hours after the shooting, police said.

Lamont Pride, 27, has been arrested and now faces murder charges.

According to the Post article, Figoski had more than 200 arrests in his career and received 12 medals, including eight for exceptional police duty.

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Dawer Nadi, Huntington Bay, was charged Nov.30 with unauthorized practice.

Babylon Village

Suffolk Police search teams are returning to Oak Beach marshland in the continuing quest to find Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old New Jersey escort who went missing 19 months ago.

It was a search for Gilbert, last seen on May 1, 2010 fleeing a home in Oak Beach, that led the discovery of the first of 10 sets of human remains along Ocean Parkway between Robert Moses Causeway and Jones Beach this past year.

Smithtown

Michael Loubier, 35, of Ronkonkoma, was arrested Nov. 27 in Smithtown and charged with petty larceny. Reports state Loubier was arrested on Veterans Memorial Highway for allegedly making deliveries for Leonardo's Pizza Cafe in Hauppauge without giving the pizzeria any money.

Plainview

An animal sitter staged a burglary in her Plainview customer's home, ripping him off for about $6,000 in computers, jewelry and collectibles, Nassau Police detectives said Monday.

Lauren, B. Azie, 23, of 23 Theodore Dr., Plainview, was charged Monday with grand larceny after selling off some of the proceeds to a Hicksville pawn shop, detectives said. She was scheduled to be arraigned on the charges Monday.

Azie was hired to pet-sit by a 41-year-old Plainview man at his Northern Parkway residents between Oct. 24 and Nov. 2, police said. 

On Nov. 2, Azie staged a burglary at the victim's home, taking two lap tops, assorted jewelry and collectible items, valued at about $6,000, police said. The next day, Azie pawned some of the jewelry; the balance of the proceeds have not been recovered, police said.

Detectives believe Azie could have been involved in other area crimes. They are urging residents to contact the Nassau County Police or their local police department if they have suspicions.

The Plainview area has been plagued by  in recent months.

While investigating a burglary in Bethpage Thursday night, Nassau County Police wound up in a manhunt that led to the arrest of a drug suspect, Nassau police said Friday.

Officers from the 8th Precinct were called to a home on Dorset Lane in Bethpage Thursday evening where the owner had reported a burglary. During the burglary investigation, officers who were canvassing the area noticed a suspicious vehicle with two people inside, police said

Officers approached the car and witnessed a suspected drug deal in progress, police said. Police said the suspected drug deal was in no way connected to the burglary report. "They had nothing to do with the burglary," a police spokesman said.

As the officers closed in, at least one suspect fled the car with Nassau police on foot in hot pursuit.

A manhunt ensued involving multiple police units, criss-crossing the border between Bethpage and Plainview, police and eyewitnesses reported to Patch. The search was in the general vicinity of South Oyster Bay Road between Old Country Road and Stewart Avenue.

At least one eyewitness reported a police helicopter and K-9 units were used in the hunt for the elusive suspect.

The fleeing man was apprehended a short time later but has not been identified.

Massapequa

A man was arrested for shooting a gun on Bayview Avenue Friday afternoon. 

Cops received a call that someone was firing from a gun from his car at the intersection of Bayview Avenue and Hampton Avenue at 12:51 p.m. A shot hit a stop sign police said.

Christoper Soesman, 19, was spotted a stopped by police a short time later at a nearby 7-Eleven.

Police said they found a .380  handgun in his car.

He was charged with weapons possession and reckless endangerment.

Nobody was hurt in the incident.