North Woodmere man arrested for Hewlett robbery

A North Woodmere man was arrested for the alleged robbery of a unspecified amount of money from a car on Nov. 10, according to police.

Police said that a man, 25, had been working out at Retro Fitness at 1225 Hewlett Plaza in Hewlett, when he saw that his gym locker was broken. He noticed his belongings were moved, but no items were missing.

After leaving the gym, the man walked to his 2012 Volkswagen and found that the glove compartment was open. He said that money had been stolen from the vehicle, police said.

A subsequent investigation determined that Sean Sevetar, 44, of Cedarhurst Street, took the car keys from the locker. After allegedly taking the money, Sevetar placed the keys back in the man’s locker, police said.

He is charged with burglary third-degree, two counts of petit larceny and criminal mischief fourth-degree. Sevetar was scheduled to be arraigned a First District Court in Hempstead on Dec. 5.

Sevetar, previously known as Sean Gluck, is the same person nicknamed “The Gym Bandit” after being charged with a string of thefts in 2007, that followed the identical pattern of the Nov. 10 incident.

In January 2010, then Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen said that Sean Gluck, a serial purse-snatcher with two prior theft convictions, pleaded guilty to burglary and grand larceny charges after going on his third crime spree in as many years. Gluck was sentenced three to six years in prison in exchange for his plea. It is not known how long he served.

Rice said Gluck committed five thefts on three different dates in March and April of 2009. On March 15, Gluck entered Beach Bum Tanning in North Merrick and stole the front desk employee’s purse, containing gift cards and money when she left the area, according to Rice. Gluck struck again on March 21 when he entered Beach Bum Tanning in Plainview and stole the desk employee’s pocketbook, which contained $300 in cash. Gluck’s final three thefts all came on April 15. In Mineola, Gluck stole an employee’s duffel bag from Massaro’s Pizzeria and an employee’s pocketbook from the hostess stand at St. James Restaurant. Later that day, he stole an employee’s pocketbook from Starbucks in Plainview.

In January 2007, Gluck earned the nickname “The Gym Bandit” when he was charged with a series of thefts in which he stole car keys from various gyms and fitness centers and then stole pocketbooks and other items from the customers’ vehicles. Gluck served eight months in jail on the theft charges.

Fewer than two months after being released from jail in September 2007, Gluck struck again, this time stealing wallets and pocketbooks from gyms in Woodbury, Glen Cove, Merrick and Baldwin, as well as a Hewlett bagel store. Gluck charged more than $7,000 on the owners’ stolen credit cards. He eventually served five months in jail. He was also placed on probation for three years.