A man has been arrested for multiple burglaries and attempted murder that occurred on Oct. 1 in Bellmore, according to first and seventh squad detectives.
Leonidas Cotsifas, a 50-year-old man from Bethpage, entered a residence at 10:15 a.m. on Centre Avenue. There, he attempted to steal a laptop. When confronted by the 18-year-old victim, he brandished a crowbar and fled the scene.
Ten minutes later, at 10:25 a.m., Cotsifas visited Valero Gas Station at 205 Sunrise Hwy. There, he attempted to steal a female victim’s automobile while her 12-year-old son was inside. Cotsifas then fled the scene.
Police offers from the first precinct discovered Cotsifas walking on Centre Avenue and Royle Street and was placed under arrest at 11:44 a.m.
After further investigation, it was determined that Cotsifas committed a third burglary earlier in the day at 10:30 a.m. The prior incident occurred on Nassau Street. Cotsifas struck a 71-year-old male victim in the head with a paving stone and tied his legs together with an electrical cord. The male victim was transported to the hospital and was listed in serious condition with a fractured skull, bleeding from the brain, fractures in his spinal cord and ribs and a broken jaw.
Cotsifas is charged with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, three counts of first-degree burglary, three counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, first-degree unlawful imprisonment, grand larceny and endangering the welfare of a child.
He will be arranged on Oct. 2 in first district court in Hempstead.