Babysitter Thwarts Burglar

A brave babysitter went eye to eye with a burglar at a Flanders residence Sunday night, July 7.

Police said the woman, who was not identified, was babysitting for a friend when she heard a noise in another room.

She reported that a male entered the house through the back door, went into a bedroom, and began looking through the closets.

When confronted by the babysitter, the man fled the property on foot, reports said. No arrests have been made, according to officials.

In other news, police arrested a Mastic man for drug possession on Friday, July 5. According to the report, a police officer observed Mark Goode, 46, walking on Old Quogue Road while drinking an alcoholic beverage.

After being taken into custody, he was found to be in possession of marijuana and crack cocaine, reports said. Goode was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a class A misdemeanor, and two violations, police said.

A Riverhead man told police that on Saturday, July 6, around 1 AM, his car had been burglarized at the Shell gas station on Lake Avenue in Riverside. An unknown subject pilfered a shopping bag that contained cash, clothing, spare keys, a cell phone, and checkbook from the front passenger seat.

At around the same day and time, Christopher Vantassle, 42, of Riverhead was arrested for allegedly driving with a revoked license following a traffic stop on Peconic Avenue. Vantassle will answer a charge of third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor. His vehicle was impounded to police headquarters, officials said.

rmurphy@indyeastend.com