According to Salvato, police seized 2,381 counterfeit handbags that were selling for between $50 and $150, as well as 857 fake wallets, 67 pairs of knockoff designer sunglasses, 698 pairs of counterfeit Nike sneakers and 163 imitation designer belts. The street value of the counterfeit merchandise seized was estimated to be $250,000, Salvato said. The arrested suspects were charged with felony trademark counterfeiting.
   Salvato reported on the operation during the 106th Precinct Community Council meeting held last week. Police said other recent arrests in the community include the capture of five burglary suspects by officers from the 106th and 102nd Precincts on September 2 and 3. Those resulted in an almost 30 percent drop in burglaries in the 106th Precinct last week, according to the New York Police Department Compstat crime statistics. Police also noted that with the arrests, they were able to close three burglary cases.
   One of the alleged burglars was caught hiding in the bushes in the vicinity of 159th Avenue and 86th Street in Howard Beach. Police said he had entered a residence through the rear door and had burglars tools in his possession when arrested. Deputy Inspector Joseph Courtesis, commanding officer of the 106th Precinct, said the suspect had a prior record of arrests for burglary.
   Courtesis said the 106th Precinct started to experience a rash of home burglaries about four weeks ago in the Ozone Park community just north of Tudor Village, with the 102nd Precinct seeing multiple burglaries north of Liberty Avenue. Police sources said the alleged perpetrators committed the crimes in broad daylight, targeting homes and stealing jewelry.
   According to police, the suspects rang doorbells in an effort to determine if the residents were home. If they thought a home was unoccupied, the thieves would either push in a window or gain access near an air conditioning unit.
   Although the investigation is continuing, police believe a recent arrest made in the 102nd Precinct may lead them to conclude the inquiry with positive results.
   Also this month, a tip to police of an individual growing marijuana in the vicinity of 95th Avenue and 134th Street in South Richmond Hill led to the seizure of 71 marijuana plants and the arrest of the suspected grower, police said. The suspect, who Salvato said has a prior arrest for criminal possession of a controlled substance, was charged with criminal possession of marijuana in the first degree — a Class C felony.