NEW HAVEN — New Haven police are searching for possibly two suspects after overnight burglaries.
The first burglary occurred around 11:15 p.m. when officers were dispatched to Fornarelli’s Ristorante after their burglar alarm was triggered. There, they found a glass door pane was smashed, and the restaurant had been burglarized. Officers found a toppled over cash register and money all over. The business owner later arrived, and indicated some money was missing as well as two bottles of Hennesey Cognac. The cameras in the restaurant did not capture an image of the thieves.
Then, around 4:24 a.m., police responded to a burglary in progress at the College Convenience Market at 254 College Street. A glass door to the adjacent apartment building was smashed as well.
Witnesses told officers they’d seen a white man wearing a dark colored jacket or sweatshirt and pants. He had reflective tape circling his thighs and ankles. The witnesses say he fled from the store. When police reviewed the surveillance cameras, they showed a man taking off with money and what police believe to be a handful of lottery tickets.
The thief left behind a duffel bag containing Newport cigarettes and an assortment of debit and credit cards belonging to people police are trying to track down.
At 4:30 a.m., police were called by an alarm company after thrives broke into Greg’s Tailor Ship at 242 College Street. There, a glass door was smashed allowing the thieves to enter the small shop. Officers found a cash register broken on the floor. According to the owner, an unknown amount of cash was taken.
Finally, around 5:07 a.m., officers were dispatched over to The Wine Thief at 181 Crown Street to investigate a burglar alarm.
A pane of glass from the front door was broken and appeared someone entered the store. The business owner and officers reviewed surveillance footage and found two people, possibly a man and a woman, breaking the glass and unlocking the door.
They broke into the cash register but it was empty. One of the thieves took a 700ml bottle of Remy Martin Cognac valued at $3,000.
The male is being described as 6 feet tall with a large build. Police could not identify his race. He was wearing a hooded sweartshirt and pants with reflective ape circling the thighs and ankles. His accomplice was about 5’6″ and wore a hooded sweatshirt and jeans.
Officers are also currently investigating a reported attempted break-in at 124 Temple Street. It was reported by a passer-by. Details on that are not yet available.
New Haven Police Detectives believe the burglaries are the work of one man and one accomplice — possibly a woman. According to Sergeant Derek Gartner, the search is narrowing thanks in part to good video images and detailed witness accounts.
