Newtown Man Arrested On Burglary/Larceny Charges

By Andrew Gorosko

MONROE — Monroe police report that on October 23, they arrested a Newtown man, charging him with criminal offenses in connection with a series of burglaries/larcenies that occurred in Monroe.

Police said they arrested Eammon Donnelly, 30, of 17 Castle Meadow Road, Newtown, charging him with third-degree burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, first-degree larceny, and conspiracy to commit larceny.

As part of the same investigation, on October 19 Monroe police charged Conner Buckley, 20, of Shelton with two counts of third-degree burglary and two counts of second-degree larceny.

Monroe police said that they had received a high volume of home burglary complaints in September and this month. The targeted property mainly consisted of jewelry and cash.

During weekly regional burglary squad meetings, it was learned that many Fairfield County towns recently had similar increases in such crimes, according to police.

Newtown police are participating with Monroe police in an ongoing investigation into the activities of Donnelly and Buckley. Several homes in Newtown recently were the target of burglaries/larcenies that involved forced entries and the theft of similar valuables.

Through an investigation, Monroe police developed information which led to their obtaining a search warrant for the Shelton residence and the vehicle of Buckley. Recovered from his residence and vehicle was a large amount of jewelry, tools, gloves, and small electronic items, police said. Based on the evidence recovered, Buckley was arrested for house burglaries in Monroe, police said.

Monroe police said that a subsequent search warrant was obtained for the Newtown residence and vehicle of Donnelly. Jewelry and burglary tools were found inside his truck, police said.

The burglary investigation succeeded through the cooperative effort of the victims, observant citizens, good patrol procedures, and detective work, said Monroe police Lieutenant Brian McCauley.

Up to an additional 14 arrests are pending in six other Fairfield County towns, Monroe police said. The total value of the property reported stolen in three Monroe burglaries was approximately $59,000, police said.

On October 24 in Bridgeport Superior Court, Donnelly was arraigned on charges of third-degree burglary and first-degree larceny. He did not plead to the charges.

Before his arraignment, police had held him on $100,000 bail. In court, that bail was reduced to $35,000. Donnelly posted that bail and was released for a November 1 court appearance.

On October 25, Buckley was being held on $100,000 bail at Bridgeport Correctional Center on pending burglary and larceny charges. He has not pleaded to the charges. He is scheduled to return to court on November 6.