Vandals fell controversial red light camera on Long Island

CORAM, N.Y., Jan. 21 (UPI) -- Police in New York state said they are investigating the felling of a Long Island red light camera, while the man known as "Red Light Robin Hood" denied involvement.

Suffolk County police said the camera pole at the intersection of County Road 83 and Old Town Road in Coram was repaired Wednesday morning after someone sawed through the aluminum pole Monday in an apparent act of vandalism.

"We are working with the district attorney on this case and we'll be pursuing all leads," Suffolk County Deputy Police Commissioner Tim Sini told CBS New York. "This is a felony, it would be tampering, vandalism type of charge."

Stephen Ruth, the self-proclaimed "Red Light Robin Hood" who landed in legal trouble last year for filming himself using a painter's pole to re-aim red light cameras away from the street, posted a picture to Facebook Monday showing of the Coram pole on the ground.

Ruth captioned the photo, "It's on," but he later denied any involvement in knocking the object to the ground.

Ruth alleges police are using the 350 red light cameras at 100 intersections in the country to pad their revenue. He accused officials of altering the timing of yellow lights to trick drivers into triggering the cameras.

"You can't shorten yellow lights just to increase revenue," Ruth told News 12 Long Island. "Throwing our safety out the window and expect nobody to do anything about it."

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone told WCBS-AM last year that the yellow lights weren't shortened, saying: "there's no basis for that in reality whatsoever."