By Karenlyn Barone
On Monday evening at 7:15, Patrick Cox of Langdon Place was arrested by Lynbrook police officers Brian Paladino and Joseph Cosenza, who were acting on two Florida warrants for grand larceny and grand larceny of firearms. "We were notified by the St. Lucie County [Florida] sheriff's office on Friday that they had secured two arrest warrants," said Lynbrook Police Chief Joseph Neve. "We didn't want to execute the warrants until we confirmed extradition, which we did on Monday."
Neve said he believes Cox was on his way to the scheduled village board meeting, which he attends on a regular basis.
The charges relate to a Feb. 10 complaint filed by Anna Truncale, 65, of Port St. Lucie, Fla. In a police report taken by Detective Rob Barton, the agent assigned to the case by the St. Lucie County sheriff, Truncale alleges that Cox took from her home a "22 caliber Winchester rifle, a 25 caliber handgun, a 38 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver, a shotgun and miscellaneous power tools." Additionally, the report notes missing bottles of alcohol, a Shop-Vac, and various hand tools.
According to officials in the St. Lucie sheriff's office, in September 2004, Cox, 62, was hired by Truncale to repair damage to her home, the result of hurricanes Frances and Jeanne. Truncale's daughter had recommended the Lynbrook resident after meeting him at a gas station in New York.
"He told us he was a retired New York Police enforcement officer, and we believed him," said Truncale in a telephone interview with the Herald. "He told us he was, but I don't think he is. He just took advantage of me."
The report alleges that Cox moved into Truncale's home, rent-free, in exchange for the repairs. In her complaint, Truncale says she paid Cox just over $26,000 in checks, made out to him or to cash, for those repairs.
Truncale acknowledged that Cox had done some work on her home, but said that it was not as much as was agreed on. "He did some that I'd give him," she said. "But he left me with a lot that he left undone that he had promised to do."
A Port St. Lucie Police Department information officer said that "the work for that amount was not evident, and the victim noticed several items missing when he, Cox, left to go back to New York on January 21, 2005. The victim alleges she saw Cox take the Winchester rifle, in its case, before he moved, and that previously he had told her she didn't need firearms."
The firearms reported stolen had belonged to Truncale's husband, Floyd, who died three years ago. Mrs. Truncale said her husband was a retired New York Police Department detective and an avid gun collector.
"It's given me heartache that I trusted [Cox], she said.
According to the police information officer, "Anna was afraid of Pat or his retaliation, which is why she did not file a report sooner."
Port St. Lucie, which has a population of about 220,000, is halfway between Jacksonville and Miami.
Extraditions are usually initiated for violent crimes or those more serious than the charges against Cox, but the police information officer said, "This is a sizable amount of money, and it is the state attorney who makes the decision to extradite." The officer further explained, "If Cox does not fight the extradition, it will take place in a week to 10 days. If he fights it, it might take a month."
Cox is known to be outspoken at Lynbrook board meetings. He is a founding member of Concerned Citizens of Lynbrook, a group that formed to fight a condominium proposal in the village last year. Cox also came out in support of newly elected Village Trustee Dave Penso, who spoke with the Herald by phone the morning after Cox's arrest.
"I am shocked," said Penso, "in the same way you are shocked when you hear anything like this about someone you know."
Penso went on to say that he had no knowledge of Cox's personal life. "He was one of my supporters, and one of 1,162 people who voted for me," Penso said. "I thank them all, but do I know what they do in their personal lives? I have no idea."
Cox's wife, Elizabeth, reached by phone, declined to comment.
Neve said that Cox was "very cooperative," and that neither the firearms nor the money had been recovered. Cox was arraigned in Hempstead on Tuesday morning and charged with grand larceny, grand theft and being a fugitive from justice from the state of Florida.
"Florida wants him," said Neve.
Jason Scheer contributed to this story
Comments bout this story? KBarone@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 202
