Thursday, October 1, 2026
Police Officer Matthew Vario was named “Cop of the Month” by the Rockville Centre Police Department for the June pursuit and arrest of a man who fled through two downtown parking lots after being seen breaking in to automobiles.
Vario responded at about 11:20 a.m. on Sunday, June 10 to a call from a motorist who had caught two men opening the door of his car and attempting to steal items from inside.
The men had fled from Municipal Parking Field 1, east of Park Avenue between Sunrise Highway and Merrick Road, and Vario began a coordinated search of the area with other responding officers and located the men in Municipal Parking Field 7 behind the Fantasy Theatre.
The subjects fled again and Vario apprehended one man as he attempted to flee into his Merrick Road apartment.
During the subsequent investigation, a second motorist reported stolen property and both motorists positively identified the arrested man as the one seen entering their vehicles.
The subject, who had a lengthy history of larcenies from motor vehicles and arrests for burglary, was charged with petit larceny and attempted petit larceny.
Police Commissioner Chuck Gennario commended Vario for his “diligence, dedication to duty and highly professional conduct” in naming him Cop of the Month.
