(11/01/06) NORTH AMITYVILLE - Town of Babylon officials say a satellite tracking system helped them discover sex offenders living in prohibited areas.

Suffolk County instituted a residency restriction law in June that mandates sex offenders reside a certain distance away from schools and day care centers. In North Amityville, officials say the new GPS mapping technology revealed a level-two sex offender living less than a block away from a day care center.

According to Babylon officials, the mapping system also revealed several other convicted sex offenders living near Long Island schools. Town officials say if they can keep tabs on sex offenders, then they are doing a lot to protect Suffolk's children. The quality-of-life task force checks the mapping database daily.