NY man accused of 17 Long Island home burglaries

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. (AP) — A Brooklyn man is accused of burglarizing 17 homes on Long Island.

Nassau County police say the suspect was initially arrested Feb. 20 and charged with three counts of burglary. He's now been charged with another 14 counts after a search of his home.

Police say they've recovered tens of thousands of dollars' worth of jewelry, designer purses and sunglasses.

Nassau County Police Chief Kevin Smith says there's so much property that investigators are still going through it.

Authorities say the break-ins began in November 2014 in Port Washington and surrounding areas.

Mamuka Bokuchava was arraigned Saturday. Prosecutors say he is a waiter at an upscale Manhattan restaurant.

His attorney, Tara Whelan, says he is his family's sole provider. His wife and child attended his court appearance.