You’ve seen the headlines, right? It feels like every time you pick up your phone or flip on the local news, there’s some fresh drama unfolding between the North Shore and the Hamptons. Honestly, it’s a lot to keep track of. One day it’s a high-profile court date in Riverhead that everyone’s been waiting years for, and the next it’s a weirdly specific bust at a local smoke shop. If you’re living here, or even just keeping an eye on the island, the constant stream of Long Island crime news can feel a bit overwhelming—and sometimes a little bit scary.
But here’s the thing: the "vibe" of the news doesn't always match the hard data. While social media might make it seem like we’re in the middle of a total free-fall, the actual stats tell a much more nuanced story. Some stuff is definitely up, but other things are hitting historic lows.
The Big One: Rex Heuermann and the Gilgo Trial
We have to start with the news that’s been hovering over Suffolk County like a dark cloud for over a decade. On Tuesday, January 13, 2026, Judge Timothy Mazzei basically laid down the law in a Riverhead courtroom. He told both the prosecution and the defense that the trial for Rex Heuermann, the alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer, is starting "come hell or high water" right after Labor Day this year.
It’s been over three years since that massive arrest in Massapequa Park. Heuermann is currently facing charges for the murders of seven women. He’s pleaded not guilty to all of them.
The defense team, led by Michael Brown and Danielle Coysh, isn't going down without a fight, though. They just dropped a massive 178-page motion. They’re trying to get the charges for the 1993 murder of Sandra Costilla thrown out, arguing that a single hair found on a shirt—not even on the body—isn't enough to prove anything. They’re also making a big stink about the "pizza crust" DNA. You remember that? Investigators grabbed a discarded pizza box from a Manhattan trash can to link Heuermann’s DNA to the crime scenes. His lawyers are now calling that an "unreasonable search." It’s a legal chess match that’s going to get even more intense as we hit the September 7 start date.
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What the Numbers Actually Say
Okay, let’s look at the broader picture. If you live in Nassau, you’re technically living in one of the safest spots in the country. Statistics from late 2025 and early 2026 show that Nassau County averages about 1,100 index crimes per 100,000 residents. To put that in perspective, the national average is usually double that, around 2,100.
But—and there's always a but—it’s not all sunshine. While homicides in Nassau actually plummeted by about 75% in the last few years, other things are creeping up.
- Retail Theft: This is the big headache right now. Shoplifting and "smash and grabs" have become a priority for District Attorney Ray Tierney.
- Auto Thefts: If you drive a certain type of SUV, you probably already know this. Motor vehicle thefts in Suffolk and Nassau haven't quite returned to those super-low pre-pandemic levels.
- The Opioid Factor: It’s the elephant in the room. A huge chunk of the property crime we see—the petty thefts and the "porch piracy"—is driven by the ongoing opioid crisis.
Basically, if it’s a violent crime, the numbers are generally down. If it’s someone stealing your catalytic converter or a package off your porch? Yeah, that’s still a massive problem.
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Long Island crime news isn't just about the "mega-cases." It’s also about the weird, localized stuff that happens in our specific towns.
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Just this week, on January 14, 2026, a 67-year-old retiree from Kew Gardens named Charles Foehner got sentenced to four years. Now, this is a weird one. Back in 2023, he actually shot and killed a guy who was trying to rob him. He didn’t get charged for the shooting itself—the DA ruled it was self-defense—but when police searched his place, they found a literal "arsenal" of unlicensed assault weapons. He’s headed to prison for the guns, not the killing.
Down in Nassau, the "Strategic Response Team" has been busy hitting smoke shops. On January 10, they raided a spot on Hempstead Turnpike in Uniondale. They found a ton of illegal flavored vapes and THC products. The guy running it, a 46-year-old from Garden City, is now facing felony charges for possession of a controlled substance. It seems like the county is really trying to send a message to these shops.
And then there’s the sad stuff. We just had a fatal hit-and-run involving a 77-year-old pedestrian in Long Beach on January 11. These vehicular incidents are becoming a huge part of the weekly police blotter, and they often get categorized right alongside traditional "crimes" because of the negligence involved.
Why the "Feel" of Crime is Different
Why does it feel like things are getting worse when some stats say they aren't? It’s probably the "Discover" effect. We get notifications for every single arrest in Wantagh or Great Neck the second it happens.
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Take the recent arrest of Fabio Diaz. The Major Case Squad picked him up on January 13 for a string of grand larcenies across Nassau. Ten years ago, that might have been a tiny blurb in a weekly paper. Today, it’s a push notification on your watch.
The reality is that Long Island is still a incredibly safe place to live, especially compared to the national average. But the type of crime is shifting. We’re seeing less "stranger-on-stranger" violence and more organized retail theft and digital scams. The Eastern District of New York recently sentenced seven people in a $12 million transnational telemarketing scheme. That’s the "new" crime—someone in a basement far away taking money from a senior citizen in Syosset.
Staying Safe and Informed
So, what do you actually do with all this? Staying informed is step one, but don't let the headlines give you "doom-scrolling" fatigue.
Actionable Insights for Long Island Residents:
- Secure Your Tech: Since property crime and digital fraud are the biggest growth sectors, use two-factor authentication on everything. Most "theft" now starts with a phishing link, not a broken window.
- Watch the Driveway: High-end vehicle thefts are still a thing. If you've got a luxury SUV, consider a physical steering wheel lock or a Faraday box for your key fobs. It sounds "old school," but it works.
- Support Local Reporting: Follow the actual police blotters from the Nassau (PDCN) or Suffolk (SCPD) websites directly. They give the facts without the sensationalist spin you sometimes get on social media.
- Community Awareness: If you're in a "hotspot" area like Hempstead or parts of the First Precinct in Suffolk, join a neighborhood watch. Not the "vigilante" kind, but the kind that actually talks to local precinct commanders.
The trial in September is going to be a circus, no doubt about it. The news trucks will be lined up in Riverhead for months. But while the world watches the Gilgo trial, the real story of safety on the island is happening in the smaller details—the retail task forces, the drug busts, and the community's refusal to let the "old" Long Island safety standards slip.