Shirley Man Arrested for Multiple Church Burglaries, According to Authorities
April 15, 2019 - Suffolk County Police arrested a Shirley man for multiple church burglaries that occurred in Shirley and Bellport since February.
As a result of recent church burglaries, Seventh Squad Special Operations Team detectives and a Field Intelligence detective were conducting surveillance in Shirley when they encountered a man who was in possession of heroin. Upon further investigation it was determined that the man, William Stepnowski, committed the following church burglaries:
- Saint John the Theologian Orthodox Church, located at 158 West End Ave. in Shirley, on February 24 at 1:30 a.m.
- Assembly of God Church, located at 27 McGraw St. in Shirley, on March 4 at 1:45 a.m.
- Assembly of God Church, located at 27 McGraw St. in Shirley, on March 7 at 1:45 a.m.
- Saint John the Theologian Orthodox Church, located at 158 West End Ave. in Shirley, on March 9 at 9 p.m.
- Christ Episcopal Church, located at 64 South Country Road in Bellport, between March 19 at 6 p.m. and March 20 at 9:30 a.m.
- Saint John the Theologian Orthodox Church, located at 158 West End Ave. in Shirley, on April 7 at 1:45 a.m.
Stepnowski, 40, was charged with six counts of Burglary 3rd Degree, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th Degree and he was charged with an outstanding warrant. He was held overnight at the Seventh Precinct and arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.