MADISON, CT — A Massachusetts man with a lengthy criminal history is facing multiple charges in connection with a pair of business burglaries in Madison, police said.
Robert Bowers, 65, of Clinton, Mass., has been charged with two counts of third-degree burglary and one count each of first- and second-degree criminal mischief following break-ins at Petrillo’s Pizza Pub & Grill and Culinary Concerts on June 11.
According to the arrest warrant, Bowers smashed a plate glass window at the pizza restaurant to gain entry, damaging a rear door and a television in the process. He then entered the neighboring catering business, rifled through a filing cabinet, and punched holes in interior walls. Despite the destruction, both business owners reported no missing items but estimated damages of nearly $3,800.
Surveillance footage showed a masked man in dark clothing walking outside the businesses. Madison police shared details with other departments, prompting reports of similar burglaries in Guilford, East Lyme, and Vernon, where the suspect used similar forced-entry methods.
On June 16, Vernon detectives connected Bowers to eight commercial burglaries there via DNA evidence. A metal pole recovered from the Madison crime scene also matched Bowers’ DNA.
Additionally, license plate recognition in Madison placed a black Lexus registered to Bowers near the crime scenes on June 11.
Bowers’ criminal record spans six states, with over 20 previous burglary arrests in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Florida, according to police.
Bowers is currently being held on $100,000 bond for the Madison incidents and is scheduled to appear in New Haven Superior Court on October 1. He also faces similar charges in Vernon, with a separate $100,000 bond and a September 30 court date in Rockville.
