Police arrested Eric Manley, 53, on Feb. 5, for reportedly stealing Amazon packages off the doorsteps at Lakewood Apartments at 1199 Whitney Ave, Capt. Ronald Smith said. The charges included third-degree burglary, possession of burglar tools, sixth-degree larceny and third-degree criminal trespass, according to the Patch. Police first reported to a call of an “unwanted person,” Smith said. Lakewood property management told officials that the person “used a crowbar to forcibly enter the front lobby and steal a package,” leaving shortly after in a vehicle that looked like a minivan, according to the Patch.
When Hamden officers Timothy McKeon and Eduardo Diaz saw the vehicle, they conducted a motor vehicle stop, searched the vehicle and found the crowbar as well as several stolen packages. Manley is due to appear in court on March 31.
Two men robbed the Hamden Minute Mart, located at 280 Circular Ave. at gunpoint overnight on Feb. 4, according to police. The two men, both wearing dark clothing and one armed with a gun, entered the store at about 9 p.m. and ordered the customers inside to get on the ground, Smith told the Patch. One of the men, not specified, demanded cash from the cash register and employees, Smith said.
The suspects left the Minute Mart on Circular Avenue with an undisclosed amount of money, heading south in a stolen Hyundai Santa Fe with Florida plates LKVL51, Smith added. The robber with the gun appeared to be about 25 years old, according to the Patch, “with a medium build, wearing a gray and green puffy jacket, black ski mask and black and yellow sneakers.” The other robber was also about 25 years old with a black ski mask, but instead wore a black puffy jacket and black and white sneakers.
Police responded to a knifepoint robbery call on Feb. 1, at Sam’s Food Store, located at 3394 Whitney Ave., but were unable to locate the suspect involved. The suspect entered the store at approximately 2:15 a.m., going first to the store’s bathroom. After he exited the bathroom, the man went behind the counter and took five packs of Newport Cigarettes. When the clerk asked the man what he was doing, the suspect reached for a knife and told the clerk to empty the cash register. The suspect shoved the clerk when they refused to open the register, promptly leaving the store and heading south on Whitney Avenue in his vehicle. According to the police report, the man is a 5-foot-7-inch white male between 30 and 40 years old, wearing dark clothing at the time. Officials ask that anyone with information contact the police department.
Police reported to an attempted larceny on Jan. 28, at the Home Depot on 1873 Dixwell Ave. A security officer approached a man after he saw the suspect leave the store with approximately two hundred dollars worth of stolen items. The suspect was white and middle aged with two “barbell style” eye piercings, according to the police report. When he was approached by the security officer, the man dropped the items on the ground and drove away in a black Jeep. A photo of the man was released to the public and Hamden residents are urged to contact the police department with any information regarding the person in question.