Two Connecticut burglars’ six-day crime spree ended in Rye on Tuesday morning when Rye police caught them on Midland Avenue.
The two suspects, John F. Tully, 21, of Greenwich and Robert M. Smith, 20, of Fairfield, have allegedly burglarized 35 businesses from Harrison to Wilton, Ct. from Nov. 1 until Nov. 6 when they were arrested.
Tully and Smith indicated to police they were taking advantage of the area’s widespread power outages to break doors and windows of small businesses and steal cash and cigarettes, according to Rye City Police Commissioner William Connors.
The two are accused of breaking into and burglarizing the Post Road Market, the Oakland Beach Deli, Rye Beverage, Boston Post Road and Lamberti’s Service Station. They are accused of attempting to break in to Shell at 1141 Boston Post Road and Belluscio’s Retaurant on Midland Ave. They allegedly took $100 and 10 cartons of cigarettes from Post Road Market; and $300 cash and equipment from Lamberti’s, and damaging cameras and wiring at Oakland Beach Deli.
They have been charged with four counts of third-degree burglary and two counts of attempted third-degree burglary for their crimes in Rye.
Around 4 a.m. on Nov. 6 a burglary alarm at the Oakland Beach deli alerted police to a problem. Officers Franco Compagnone and Christine Incalcatera noticed the front door was kicked in and the business had been entered. As they canvassed the crime area they noticed a car parked in the middle of the road outside of Belluscio’s Restaurant at 352 Midland Ave.
The car pulled away into a driveway on Midland Avenue. When approached by police the two suspects claimed they lived at that address. But while officer Compagnone was shining his light on the suspects he noticed one suspects pants was reflecting the light.
The pants were filled with shards of glass allegedly from the windows of businesses they had burglarized, Connors explained.
“Officer Compagnone did a fabulous job,” Connors said. “He had good observations and took good action.”
Area agencies were notified and the Rye City police department had a steady stream of detectives from Connecticut agencies in to interview the suspects.
“Not often do we get to apprehend people who have committed so many crimes,” Connors said. “Especially under these circumstances when they are striking people at their most vulnerable time.”
Rye police have increased their personnel during evening hours when houses are dark and have not experienced any other burglaries, Connors said.
Tully and Smith are accused of two burglaries in Harrison, one in North Castle, eight in Greenwich, 15 in Fairfield, Ct., two in Wilton, Ct. and one in Redding, Ct., Connors said.
The two were arraigned on Nov. 6 in Rye City Court and are being held without bail in Westchester County Jail.
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