UPDATE: NY Man Says He's Proud He Tampered With Red Light Cameras
A Long Island man is accused of tampering with red-light traffic cameras, pushing them upwards so they wouldn't capture drivers going through the lights, police say.
Suffolk County police said they received several anonymous tips pointing to a video posted on social media showing a man tampering with red light cameras in Ronkonkoma. The video showed the man using an expandable pole to push the cameras away from street.
Police said the man tampered with the camera on Ocean Avenue and the L.I.E. south service road in Ronkonkoma on Aug. 21 and on Aug. 24, then with two cameras at Hawkins Avenue and the L.I.E. south service road Tuesday afternoon.
Police identified 42-year-old Stephen Ruth as the suspect and arrested him at his Centereach home Tuesday afternoon. He's been charged with four counts of third-degree criminal tampering and four counts of second-degree obstruction of governmental administration.
Attorney information wasn't immediately clear.
The cameras are maintained by Affiliated Computer Services Incorporated, based in Baltimore, Maryland.
