August 21st, 2019 – An off-duty security guard was hailed at the Town of Islip August Town Board meeting, for helping police apprehend a suspect who allegedly robbed a local 7-11 recently.

Gary Stack, of Holbrook, was sitting in his car in the parking lot of a nearby 7-11 after picking up a cup of coffee inside the store around 6 am, when he saw a man run out of the store. Seconds later, a 7-11 employee burst through the doors yelling for help, that the store had just been robbed. Stack, a private security officer, followed the suspect who was running on foot to his getaway car. He chased the car while using his hand’s FREE device to call the police.

It wasn’t too long before the driver of the getaway car stopped, exited with his hands up. Seconds later, the suspect jumped from the car and offered Gary the proceeds from the cash register, in exchange for not calling the police. Within minutes, the police arrived and Gary directed the officers to the woods, where the robber was apprehended.

“Gary is truly deserving of this honor. He is a trained professional, whose quick response helped apprehend a suspect. He is an example of the selfless acts we’ve seen time and time again here in the Town of Islip,” said Supervisor Angie Carpenter.

Gary works for private clients throughout the Town of Islip, and is an active member of the Parkland Civic Association in Holbrook.