Officer injures thumb in scuffle after Valley Stream dine-and-dash

A Nassau County police officer suffered a sprained thumb on April 28 during a struggle with two Brooklyn teens who allegedly left Applebee’s in Valley Stream without paying for their dinner.

According to police, Isiah Peters, 18, and Leon Thomas, 19, entered the restaurant with a 5-year-old family member at about 7:50 p.m. They ordered and ate about $50 worth of food and tried to pay with credit cards that were declined, police said, then left the restaurant.

They returned at 9:44 p.m. and police were called. Police did not say why they returned. When officers tried to arrest the men for theft of services, both suspects allegedly fought the officers. One officer was taken to the hospital for the thumb injury.

The suspects were taken to the 5th Precinct, where police said Peters again fought with officers as they “attempted to secure him in the holding cell.”

Both suspects had forged credit cards on them when they were arrested, according to police.

The child was released to a family member.

Thomas was charged with possession of a forged instrument, theft of services, endangering the welfare of a minor and resisting arrest. Peters was charged with second-degree assault, six counts of possession of a forged instrument, theft of services, endangering the welfare of a child and resisting arrest. Both men were arraigned on April 29 at First District Court in Hempstead.