NORWICH— Police have arrested a former inmate of the Connecticut Department of Corrections in connection to a burglary last June.
Eric Melendez, 44 of Griswold, was arrested after evidence determined he allegedly trespassed, damaged, and stole from three company vehicles.
In June 2016, employees of Prime Electric and Lantern Energy reported for work when they noticed several company vehicles had been broken into. Both companies reported a total of $5,448 in stolen tools and equipment as well as $2,500 in damages to the vehicles.
Officers obtained video surveillance that showed two suspects entering the vehicles and removing items.
Officers located an ice tea bottle near the vehicles and seized it as evidence. In December 2016, detectives found the DNA sample taken from the ice tea bottle matched the profile of Melendez.
