By Nicole Falco
Two suspects, one from Valley Stream and the other from Brooklyn, were arrested in connection with the incident. According to police, the suspects rang the doorbell of a home on Forest Road, at about 9 a.m. An occupant of the home, a 21-year-old man, answered the door and was confronted by the suspects - one armed with a handgun and the other with a knife - who forced their way inside. There they tied the victim up and ransacked the house, taking $1,900, a Palm Pilot and a Sony Play Station before fleeing. The victim, who lives with his parents but was alone at the time of the incident, was not injured, police said.
Following an investigation, police arrested Michael Valenti, 25, of 54 Sandalwood Ave. in Valley Stream, at about 8 p.m. that night. He was charged with first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery and two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. At the time of his arrest, Valenti was in possession of a fake silver handgun, cocaine and marijuana, police said.
The next morning, police arrested David Maldonado, 28, of 45 Twin Pines Drive in Brooklyn. He is also charged with first-degree burglary and first-degree robbery.
According to Detective Lt. John Roden, the suspects tried to conceal their identities during the robbery, but the victim recognized one of them and was able to provide police with information that led to the arrests.
"[Valenti] definitely had a prior meeting with the victim, but they do not know each other," Roden said. "There's not a relationship between them." He declined to elaborate on the nature of the previous meeting between Valenti and the victim or where it took place.
Police have recovered much of what was reported stolen from the victim's house, Roden said.
Some of the communities where home invasions have taken place include the Five Towns, Bellmore, New Hyde Park, Massapequa, Plainview, Jericho, Manhasset and Levittown. "This doesn't appear to be related to the pattern," Roden said.
Comments about this story? NFalco@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 208.
