John McKenna
Jul 13, 2023
Petraroia Deli on West Street in Litchfield was burglarized early Tuesday. BZ photo
A string of summer burglaries continued in the early morning hours of Tuesday when Petraroia Deli on West Street was broken into and its cash register was stolen.
Someone gained entry to the business by breaking a pane of glass in the front door and opening the locked door from the inside. The cash register was located on the counter and had about $150 in it, according to deli owner Frank Jeannette. Nothing else was stolen, he said.
“It could have been a lot worse,” Jeannette said Thursday. “That was my biggest fear when I went to open the door and saw the broken glass.”
The cash register was found in Kent, according to Resident Trooper Jim Holm and contained evidence that has been sent to the state police laboratory for analysis.
There are no suspects and the case is under investigation, Holm said.
The deli burglary followed multiple motor vehicle break-ins on Meadow Street on Saturday night and burglary last week at Bohemian Pizza and Tacos on Bantam Road. In that incident, the restaurant’s cash register and cash box were stolen, according to state police. The incident is under investigation.
On Meadow Street, there were three reported motor vehicle break-ins, according to Holm, who said at least two other break-ins went unreported. Some of the vehicles were unlocked, while others were locked and had their windows smashed, Holm said.
“People left valuables in plain view in their cars,” Holm said. “We’ve been trying to get the word out that you can’t do that.”
Vehicle break-ins aren’t unique to Litchfield, Holm added, noting that Goshen and other area towns have been dealing with the same problem.