Now that New York State has “reformed” its criminal justice laws so that suspects are being immediately released without bail for a wide variety of crimes, these stories seem to be popping up on a daily basis. In today’s edition of the Empire State’s version of Groundhog Day, we learn that a Long Island man got himself into a bit of trouble after committing what was described as a “burglary spree” at a local shopping mall. Not being among the brightest of criminals, he was easily tracked down the next day, on New Year’s Eve, and arrested. But under the new justice reform law, he couldn’t be held or made to pay bail for burglary so he was released.

Not even a full day later he was found to have burglarized yet another business establishment. And the cycle continued. (CBS New York)

Under New York’s new criminal justice reform law, a 22-year-old man accused of a burglary spree at a Long Island shopping center was released without having to post bail on New Year’s Eve.

On Friday, that same man was back behind bars after police say he committed yet another burglary just hours after being set free.

Nassau County police say Gerard Conway broke into four stores on Dec. 29. The 22-year-old allegedly used a flower pot to smash the glass door of a Pizza Hut on Old Country Road. After stealing the cash register, Nassau police say the burglar then broke into three more businesses at The Source Mall in Westbury.

Yep. the second arrest resulted in another 3rd-degree burglary charge. But that’s not a crime that can result in pre-trial detention or bail under the new law, so he was back out on the streets again in short order.

I just know some of you will faint from shock when you learn that, upon his release, Conway headed out and committed his fifth alleged burglary in four days, breaking into a Bagel Boss in Carle Place and stealing the cash registers. The total amount of damage to five different businesses added up fast, costing far more than the small amount of money the thief managed to abscond with.

But under this insane new law, there was nothing the police or the courts could do. Every time he was captured and charged, he had to be set loose on the community once again. It’s not as if the cops don’t have more than enough to keep them busy in New York these days. They need to be out monitoring the weekly F*** the Police marches in Brooklyn. That’s when they’re not busy having people sucker punch them at intersections or douse them with buckets of water while they try to arrest someone. (Perps were released immediately without bail in both cases.)

Do you know what happens when you tell criminals that you’re not going to take their crimes seriously or “abuse them” with incarceration? They commit more crimes. The fact that the powers that be in New York couldn’t figure this out in advance is mind-boggling. Of course the property crime rates are going to go up. It was inevitable. And it’s the law-abiding citizens of the city and the business owners who pay the price for it.

The other question New York is facing is what’s going to happen with the NYPD. I mean, how much longer are you going to keep on getting up every day, putting on your badge and hitting the streets if this is how the criminal element is going to be treated? At some point, many of them have to be thinking that it’s just not worth it anymore. And then you either change careers or move out of the state and look for a job in a state where law enforcement is still taken somewhat seriously.

Great job, New York. You’re one step closer to Snake Plissken territory.