Police nab Island Park men after crime spree

Police arrested an Island Park man and two accomplices on Thursday after a rapid crime spree during which police said he robbed stores in Baldwin, Freeport and Island Park and threatened employees with a knife.

Nassau County police nabbed 37-year-old Island Park resident Michael Dunleavy in Oceanside on June 10, where he was arrested on multiple robbery and weapons possession charges after robbing two Dunkin Donuts locations, a Subway sandwich shop and a Hess gas station in less than 24 hours. During all of the robberies, Dunleavy fled in a 2002 Pontiac, driven, police said, by Daniel Smith Sr., 58, and his 36-year old son, Daniel Smith Jr., both of Island Park, who drove the vehicle on separate occasions.

The robberies began in Freeport on Wednesday, June 9 at 3:50 a.m., when police said Dunleavy entered Dunkin Donuts at 35 East Sunrise Highway. According to police, Dunleavy produced a knife and demanded money from the cashier. The employee handed over an undisclosed amount of cash and Dunleavy fled the scene.

Later that evening, at 8:17 p.m., police said Dunleavy entered a Subway at 4385 Austin Blvd., where he also threatened an employee with a knife and demanded cash. When the cashier called 911, however, Dunleavy took off without any cash, police said.

The robberies continued shortly afterward at 8:43 p.m., when police said Dunleavy went into the Hess gas station at 4295 Austin Blvd. in Island Park, where he again took out a knife and threatened the employee who handed over the cash. And at 12:40 a.m. on Thursday, June 10, police said Dunleavy hit another Dunkin Donuts, this time at 989 Atlantic Ave. in Baldwin, where he again revealed a knife, threatened an employee and made off with more cash.

Police said no one was injured during the incidents, but one store manager said that the ordeal had some employees on edge.

"No one got hurt, thank god, and we're hoping that nothing like this happens again," said a Dunkin Donuts store manager in Baldwin who did not give his name. The robberies came to an end on June 10 when a 4th Precinct police sergeant observed the vehicle on Long Beach Road and West Waukena Avenue in Oceanside at 1:15 a.m. Dunleavy and Smith Jr. were arrested at the scene, while Smith Sr. was arrested at his residence later that day. Police said that Daniel Smith Sr. drove the Pontiac during two of the robberies while Daniel Smith Jr. drove during the other two.

Dunleavy faces a slew of charges: Three counts of first-degree robbery, three counts of second-degree robbery; first-degree attempted robbery, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and fourth-degree possession of a dangerous weapon.

Smith Sr. is charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree attempted robbery and faces an open warrant for operating a home business without a permit. Smith Jr. is facing two counts of second-degree robbery charges, in addition to seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. All three were arraigned at First District Court in Hempstead on Friday, June 11.