West Hempstead man incites mall ruckus

A West Hempstead man was charged with petit larceny in connection with an incident that triggered panic and the brief closure of the Roosevelt Field Mall on Dec. 24.

Police sources say that Aaron Darby, 19, was stopped by mall security after he attempted to leave the Macy’s store at the mall without paying for merchandise. In an attempt to flee from security officers, Darby apparently, knocked over a display case.

More than a dozen shoppers called 911, some reporting a fight in the department store and others reporting that shots had been fired, mistaking the sound of the falling display case. Police responded within minutes, shutting down the mall and setting up choke points at entrances on both Old Country Road and Stewart Avenue.

When the display case fell, bystanders reported, employees of Macy’s and other nearby stores locked shoppers inside, while mall security and police ushered those outside the stores to open interior areas. Once shoppers began to flee, police moved them away from the affected area, creating a traffic jam on the two major access roads.

The mall reopened about 15 minutes after it was closed, when it was determined that no shots had been fired.

Darby was released on an appearance ticket, and is to appear in First District Court in Hempstead on Jan. 7. Online court records show that another criminal case is pending against him in that court: He faces charges from a Sept. 21 incident of criminal trespass, attempted assault and resisting arrest. He was released on his own recognizance at an arraignment on those charges, and has a Jan. 14 court date.