Man arrested in cash register robbery spree  

He didn't just want the cash, but also the cash register that the money was in, police said.

In a robbery spree that began in late November, investigators said Stephen E. Nielsen, 39, stole cash registers from several businesses across Nassau County. Police said Nielsen was arrested Tuesday at his home at 31 Chestnut St. in Lake Ronkonkoma.
Nielsen was charged with one count of second-degree grand larceny, four counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, one count of petit larceny and one count of fourth-degree criminal mischief. He was also charged with violating his state parole.

He was scheduled to appear in First District Court Wednesday. Wednesday night, a jailer said he didn't have information on the outcome of the hearing.

Police said Nielsen targeted ice cream parlors and is a suspect in more cases in Nassau as well as Suffolk County.

The cash register thefts began Nov. 29 when Nielsen walked into a Carvel ice cream parlor at 403 Jericho Tpke. in Syosset, police said.