In early May, the Garden City community began to experience numerous larcenies from autos parked in driveways overnight. Residents would return to their cars in the morning and would find their car windows shattered and property removed. Intensive patrol was initiated by the uniformed officers working the area and information indicated that the surrounding communities were experiencing the same crimes. The items being taken were money, wallets and pocketbooks left in the cars in plain sight.

A joint investigation was initiated by detectives from the Garden City Police Department and Nassau County's Third Squad. With the help of detectives from the Intelligence Section, a pattern was developed. Further investigation revealed that immediately after these larcenies, the subject would use the stolen credit cards and purchase Metro tickets from machines at various LIRR stations. Detectives from the MTA police were contacted and assisted.

In addition, Garden City Police officers and detectives discovered that not only were Metro tickets being purchased, but the subject had also purchased cartons of cigarettes from a local 7-Eleven. Surveillance tapes were reviewed and an unidentified subject was seen making the purchase. The store clerk was interviewed and told officers that, after making the purchases, the subject would get on a westbound train. In an attempt to identify the subject, an intelligence bulletin containing the pictures was prepared and distributed to law enforcement agencies.

Garden City detectives then began to monitor the LIRR stations in Garden City. Train schedules were obtained and the trains were met as they entered the station. Surveillance of all persons entering or exiting the train was conducted.

Early Thursday morning, July 3, Garden City Detectives Rothermel and Madden were monitoring the arriving trains into Garden City. At approximately 3 a.m., the subject was seen exiting a train at the Nassau Boulevard Station. With the assistance of patrol officers, the subject, David Murphy, 17, of Central Islip, was stopped and placed under arrest; the subject has recently been living in Jamaica, Queens.

During the arrest processing, the detectives were able to close 23 cases in Garden City and numerous others in the jurisdiction of Nassau County's Third Precinct in which Murphy is allegedly the subject. He is charged with 10 felony counts of grand larceny as well as burglary, possession of burglar's tools and several larcenies from Nassau County Third Precinct cases. The MTA police also lodged a bench warrant for Murphy.

Murphy was transported to Nassau County Detention Center pending arraignment at First District Court, Hempstead.