Advisory

For Immediate Release

April 12, 2016

Incident: Man Arrested for Damaging 19 Red Light Cameras

Location: Centereach

Date/Time: Monday, April 11, 2016 at approximately 6:25 p.m.

Suffolk County Police have arrested a Centereach man for damaging 19 red light cameras throughout Suffolk County.

Between April 9 and April 10, Stephen Ruth cut wires and manipulated equipment on 18 red light cameras within the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Precincts. Ruth also cut down a red light camera pole at County Road 83 and Old Town Road in Coram on January 18.

Preliminary estimates put the damage at a cost of a minimum of $25,000 with additional cost evaluation to be completed.

Major Case Unit detectives charged Ruth, 43, of 28 Stewart Circle, with two counts of Criminal Mischief 2nd Degree, a Class D Felony. Ruth was held overnight and scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court on April 12.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.