EDITOR’S NOTE: The initial report of this story erroneously linked Anthony P. Malatesta to several burglaries in Suffolk County dating back to 1979. That information related to a different man who shared the same first and last name.
BETHLEHEM — Bethlehem police have arrested a 51-year-old man for committing a 2016 burglary after his DNA was discovered at the scene.
Anthony P. Malatesta had burglarized a local vehicle repair shop in Delmar back on Feb. 28, 2016, having forced entry into it and stolen multiple tools and equipment. Police found DNA evidence at the scene and sent it for analysis to the state Police Laboratory and state Police Crime Lab. It eventually matched with Malatesta who had already been arrested for past offenses in the past few decades and had his DNA on file with the DNA databank.
With regards to the Feb. 28, 2016 burglary, after being arrested by Bethlehem police, he was placed into the custody of the state Department of Corrections due to his part in prior unrelated burglaries. He was charged with burglary and grand larceny felonies. He is scheduled for a return court date in Bethlehem on Tuesday, Dec. 18, at 4 p.m.
Bethlehem police are still investigating this case and other burglaries that occurred around the same time as his.