Crime & Safety

UPDATED: Dog Alerted Neighbor to Alleged Library Intruder

Paul Mittleman was arrested on criminal mischief charges early Tuesday morning.

Note: The following was sent to North Fork Patch editors after the original version of this story ran, and was verified.

A tiny chihuahua-mix ended up bringing to her owner's attention a man who was allegedly breaking into Floyd Memorial Library early Tuesday morning.

Gillian Wood-Pultz, who said she couldn't resist bringing little Tula Rubia home with her after a recent volunteer trip to Mexico, said it was about 12:45 a.m. when her dog jumped off the bed - something she had never done before.

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"That was very unlike her," she said. "Usually she's out cold, dead to the world. But she jumped off the bed, went to the window, and started barking."

After going to the window, Wood-Pultz said she saw a man in a t-shirt, his underwear, and socks getting ready to break a window with a rock at the library. She called the police, who later arrested the man.

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Original story:

Southold Police reported that a 48-year-old Greenport man was arrested early Tuesday after he allegedly broke into Floyd Memorial Library.

Paul Mittleman, 48, was arrested on criminal mischief charges. Police said an anonymous caller told police that someone was seen breaking into the Greenport library.

Police responded and allegedly found Mittleman in the basement, with cuts he sustained after reportedly crawling through the basement window. He was treated at Eastern Long Island Hospital, later discharged, and processed at police headquarters and held for morning arraignment.


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