Pizza flies off shelves of Long Island shop after being robbed, vandalized

ByStacey Sager WABC logo

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Community comes to aid of pizza shop that was robbed, vandalized

Stacey Sager reports on a whole community taking the act of vandalism very personally.

EAST NORTHPORT, Long Island (WABC) -- This year has been tough on restaurants, especially one on Long Island that was robbed and vandalized during the busy holiday week.

They say when life happens, pizza helps. At Chefs of New York in East Northport, pizza has helped many throughout this pandemic.

"They are incredible businessmen -- incredible friends," one customer said.

It's why the whole community took this act of vandalism very personally.

CeFaan Kim reports on the holiday vandalism in Brooklyn.

The owner of the restaurant says glass was shattered and the whole front piece was shattered.

Owners Mike Alfano and his son Mike Jr. was devastated by what happened overnight on Sunday.

Suffolk County Police say someone entered through the rear door and burglarized the place, but what was worse was that they vandalized it on what is normally the pizzeria's busiest holiday week.

Refrigerators were broken, mirrors and glass were shattered and even the TV was smashed.

"I didn't wanna think that it was personal, because we really have no problems with anybody," Alfano said.

In fact, just the opposite! Alfano's daughter is a doctor and his family has donated at least 2,000 pies to area hospitals.

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During the height of the pandemic last spring, they also helped Elwood public schools out, donating pizza whenever they needed it.

It has been hard enough on restaurants like this one with all the indoor dining restrictions. The inside is empty in the middle of the day.

So, friends, employees and strangers all showed up on Monday to fix up the shop. What could've taken weeks was fixed in just one day.

"Amazing -- like family," Alfano said.

For a guy who showed his customers the value of community, buying plenty of pizza seemed easy today.

"it's a testimony to his character, and the way that he looks at things," customer Dean Nichol said.

The proof? It's in the pizza flying off the shelves.