The Associated Press


BREWSTER, N.Y. --
The son of a suburban New York police commissioner, a contender to head the Chicago police department, is among four teens charged with a vandalism spree in a neighboring county.
State police in New York and Connecticut and the Putnam County sheriff's Department said Tuesday that they were investigating complaints of mailbox smashing. On Friday, they said, the four teens were found throwing a mailbox through the front window of a home in the town of Southeast.
One of the four is Mark Belfiore, 18, son of Westchester County Police Commissioner Thomas Belfiore, said Southeast Town Justice James Borkowski. He said he sent all four to jail to await a court appearance Wednesday.
The elder Belfiore, a 20-year veteran of the New York Police Department, was named last month by the Chicago Police Board as a finalist for that city's police superintendent position. The search was continuing.
"I am heartbroken about my son's involvement in this incident," Belfiore said in a statement. "My empathy goes out to those who had their property vandalized. Now, like everyone else, my family will go through the criminal justice process and hope for a just outcome for all."
Mark Belfiore was charged with criminal mischief, trespass and conspiracy, authorities said.


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