Police say five teens have been arrested in connection to 12 burglaries in Syosset, including one caught on surveillance video.   

A total of 12 stores were broken into, causing thousands of dollars' worth of damage after midnight Tuesday.  

An investigation led detectives to the MercyFirst Facility at 525 Convent Road in Syosset and placed the five suspects into police custody without incident. 

Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder tells News 12 there is a security guard at the facility, but they cannot physically restrain the kids from leaving. 

“There are no gates, no locks, the kids can walk out,” Ryder says. 

All suspects range in age from 14 to 16 years old, and most are charged with multiple counts of burglary as well as criminal mischief.  

“One of the 16-year-olds has been locked up three times this week, and he keeps getting out to commit more crime,” Ryder says. 

The police commissioner says in the past, bail would have been set but that is no longer the case due to the laws in the state. Instead, he says they are trying to get the five teens removed from the facility, but that will ultimately be up to the court. 

"They are working with us to make sure they are removed from the program of MercyFirst," Ryder says. 

MercyFirst released a statement that said in part, “We are extremely saddened that local businesses were vandalized and stolen from and disappointed that young people from our campus allegedly participated.”

Russell Green, the president of the Syosset Woodbury Chamber of Commerce, is encouraging residents to support the shops impacted.