Two narratives are developing concerning the Brooklyn family that kept 30 unregistered firearms, as well as blades and collectible items like an umbrella knife and a machete in their two-story dwelling. One group of neighbors describe the Sianos as “lovely” people if a bit “strange,” stressing that in the quiet Gravesend neighborhood people keep to themselves mostly. A woman who’d shared the block with them for some 45 years told CityRoom their weapons collection was “fine, as long as nobody gets hurt.” Still another group was disturbed by the discovery, recalling visits by unsavory characters and disruptions by the cops.
According to one man, people were constantly stopping by the “run-down home,” sometimes drinking on the quiet street outside that faced a school playground. “I always knew something was going on there.” he said. Another remembered that four or five domestic disturbances had been broken up by the police. The News reported that the dad, Thomas Siano, was arrested in the 90’s on drug charges (a large number of pills were also seized from the home on Saturday), and their son’s roommate Michael Pool had a record that included assault, DWI and drug possession.
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Found under the same roof as the weapons arsenal was ammunition as well as materials for making more, so its seems that at least some pieces in the collection were used, possibly for hunting. Police still don’t believe that the family had guns or drugs for sale, but they’re currently running ballistic tests to see if any of the firearms were used in crimes. “These are good people here, hard-working people here,” said one longtime neighbor said of the street's inhabitants. “But other people’s business we don’t know.” The Sianos, their adult son and their tenant are expected to be arraigned later today.
