Arrested illegal aliens from a sophisticated Chilean theft ring were set free last week because the charges against them aren’t bail eligible in New York state, WABC-TV reported.
The station said six men entered Florique Florists on Jericho Turnpike in Woodbury on Long Island just after 3 a.m. Nov. 7, cut through the roof, and then cut through a wall connected to Elegant Jewelers, Burglary Squad Detectives said.
‘We need a change in these laws. Give the judges back their discretion. Let us do our jobs.’
The group left without taking any merchandise, but Nassau County Police told WABC they used radio jammers to hide the alarm system.
“How dangerous is that?” Nassau County Police Dept. Commissioner Patrick Ryder asked, according to WABC. “If someone is calling for an emergency, or another cop is called for an emergency and his radio doesn’t work, because these thugs are inside trying to jam the radios so we don’t get the alarm?”
All of the illegal aliens were arrested the next day at a home in Huntington they were renting, WABC said, adding that Homeland Security flagged all of the men as potential threats.
Police said Immigration and Customs Enforcement was notified, and while “one defendant has been remanded,” the remaining five “have been released with no bail.”
Turns out authorities weren’t able to detain the five remaining suspects because their crimes were not bail eligible, WABC reported.
Police added that two of the suspects didn’t report for their electronic monitors — and the three who did report cut off their electronic monitors. The station said they cut them off in New Jersey.
All of the suspects are charged with burglary and criminal mischief, WABC said.
New York bail laws at center of controversy once again
Authorities on Long Island are calling for a change to New York’s bail laws in the wake of this incident, the station said.
Neither Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman nor his law-enforcement partners minced words about the situation, WABC reported.
“It’s a damn disgrace,” Blakeman said.
County District Attorney Ann Donnelly said she’s “sick of it. We need a change in these laws. Give the judges back their discretion. Let us do our jobs.”
You can view a video report here about the incident.
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Illegal aliens, Nassau county, New york, Long island, No bail, Released, Chilean theft ring, Homeland security threat flag, Not bail eligible, Burglary charges, Criminal mischief charges, Crime