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Uzair Khan, 18, of East Meadow, and Matthew Hartenstein, 19, of Brooklyn, allegedly broke into the E-Smoke Shop on Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow at approximately 3:15 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25, Nassau County Police said.
Police said that once inside the smoke shop, Khan and Hartenstein removed products before leaving the store in an unknown direction. The investigation into the break-in led police to the two teens.
Khan was tracked down by investigators on Wednesday, Jan. 29, and taken into custody. Hartenstein was located on Clocks Boulevard in Massapequa on Thursday, Jan. 30 and arrested.
Further investigation determined that Khan and Hartenstein were connected to several other burglaries of smoke shops in Nassau County. It is alleged that the two were responsible for break-ins on:
- Sunday, Dec. 8 at the Pipes/Stuff Smoke Shop on Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow;
- Thursday, Dec. 12 at the E-Smoke Shop on Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow;
- Sunday, Dec. 29 and Sunday, Jan. 5 at the Twisted Smoke Shop on Merrick Avenue in East Meadow;
- Sunday, Jan. 12 and Tuesday, Jan. 28 at Arturo Smoke Shop on Merrick Road in Massapequa.
Both Khan and Hartenstein were arrested and charged with seven counts of third-degree burglary. They are scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday, Jan. 30 at First District Court in Hempstead.
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