Surveillance tapes catch LI donation thief red-handed

Police in Central Islip have caught the man they say has been repeatedly helping himself to donation jars and using stolen cars to get away.Suffolk police say surveillance cameras caught 25-year-old Mario

News 12 Staff

Jan 7, 2007, 3:33 AM

Updated 6,502 days ago

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Police in Central Islip have caught the man they say has been repeatedly helping himself to donation jars and using stolen cars to get away.Suffolk police say surveillance cameras caught 25-year-old Mario Flores Jr. from Central Islip stealing a donation jar from a 711 store in Bay Shore on Tuesday and driving away in a stolen car. On Wednesday, police say Flores got away with almost $100 from a 711 donation jar in Islandia.Thursday, cops say Flores ripped out an entire cash register along with a donation jar at a 711 store in Central Islip and then proceeded to drive away in another stolen SUV. The clerks called the police to report the license plate number allegedly at the same time Flores snatched a jar from a fourth 711 store. Flores was caught by police on Friday.The donations were meant for Jerry's Kids charities. Police say Flores told them he wanted the money to buy crack. Flores faces various charges for the stolen cars, the stolen jars and for allegedly fleeing the police.