By JOSEPH KELLARD
Joseph Forino, 33, and Michele Forino, 38, of Hempstead were arrested after thousands of dollars worth of jewelry was recovered from their residence and other areas.
The Forinos were caught after burglaries in Mineola on June 12 and Oceanside on July Fourth. "They were identified in a burglary in Mineola as well as one on Park Avenue in Oceanside," Detective John Daniel of the Fourth Precinct told the Herald last week. "The Oceanside victim has positively identified her stolen recovered property. That investigation led to their arrest."
The information leading to the Forinos' arrest came from a confidential informant recruited by Michael Knatz, a police officer with the Bureau of Special Operations. "Actually, second-hand jewelry dealers gave informants information," Daniel said. In all, more than a thousand pieces of jewelry were recovered, found in the suspects' residence, car and pocketbook, as well as area pawn shops.
Daniel reported that police recovered mostly custom jewelry, and that other types of jewelry had been pawned. "The partial pawned recovery that I have, I would say, is about $30,000 worth," the detective said.
The investigation is ongoing, and includes police attempting to recover jewelry that was sold to second-hand dealers.
The suspects are both unemployed. Joseph Forino is on parole for burglary, and Michele faced a warrant for bigamy in Oneonta, said Detective Sgt. John Azzata. "Obviously, they're trying to make a dollar off of hard working people," Azzata said.
The Forinos have each been charged with two counts of second-degree burglary and one count of grand larceny.
