Police arrest Queens men allegedly responsible for 19 robberies across Nassau County

Two men from Queens were arrested for multiple burglaries that police say occurred between April 20 and Aug. 3 of this year across Nassau County.

According to burglary pattern squad detectives in the Nassau County Police Department, an investigation led to the arrest of Hector Portilla, 60, of Queens Village and Diego Ercoli, 50, of South Richmond Hill.

Detectives from the burglary pattern squad, bureau of special operations and Lynbrook Police Department collaborated to determine that Portilla and Ercoli were working together to burglarize the Bagel Chalet in Merrick, at 2037 Merrick Road.

A further investigation revealed that the duo is allegedly responsible for 18 additional burglaries in New Hyde Park, Oceanside, Mineola, Hicksville, Queens, Plainview, and Lynbrook.

Ercoli has prior arrests for burglary, criminal possession of stolen property, rioting, petit larceny, grand larceny, criminal mischief, possession of burglars tools, conspiracy, reckless endangerment, driving while intoxicated, assault, criminal contempt, auto stripping, criminal sale of a controlled substance, and robbery while displaying a firearm.

Portilla has prior arrests for petit larceny, forgery, grand larceny, possession of a forged instrument and burglary.

Both Ercoli and Portilla are being charged with 19 counts of robbery. They were arraigned on Aug. 4 at the First District Court in Hempstead.