Spent Stormy Night in Office

Kevin Joe Simmons, who police say has a Sag Harbor residence, was arrested Tuesday by East Hampton Village police, who alleged that he had burglarized the Amaden Gay Agency’s Gay Road office while spending Monday night there. 

Mr. Simmons, 59, was taken into custody during Tuesday’s snowstorm at Starbucks on Main Street in the village without incident, Detective Sgt. Greg Brown said yesterday. He credited Officer Steven Niggles with attentive police work. 

“He entered the building and stayed through the night,” the detective said, adding that Mr. Simmons entered the building through an unlocked rear door  and walked through much of the sprawling office, taking several items before leaving early Tuesday in a 1995 Ford Ranger pickup truck owned by the company, which had been parked behind the building with the keys in the console. 

Police were contacted by James Amaden, an owner of the firm. While employees of Amaden Gay had been given the day off because of the storm, Mr. Amaden had stopped in and noticed something amiss. Police were able to obtain a description of Mr. Simmons. Officer Niggles recalled having seen someone matching the description in Starbucks at about 6:30 that morning. Police and detectives went to Starbucks and took Mr. Simmons into custody at about 8:15 a.m. 

He was charged with three felonies: burglary, possession of stolen property, and unauthorized use of a vehicle. Police said they recovered the stolen items, which were valued at $1,300, and many of which he had placed in a shopping cart allegedly taken from outside the Citarella market. 

During his arraignment yesterday, Carla Egan, an assistant district attorney, said Mr. Simmons had admitted to some of the allegations. Matthew D’Amato, his Legal Aid Society attorney, denied that Mr. Simmons had committed the felonies with which he was charged. 

According to the court file, Mr. Simmons had left the truck near where he had found it, but took the keys. He returned early Tuesday and seeing Mr. Amaden in the pickup tried to give him the keys along with a $5 bill for having used the vehicle. “That’s what gentlemen do,” he reportedly told police after his arrest. Bail was set at $1,000 and an order of protection was issued for Mr. Amaden.