Fired former Norwich cop charged in second theft in string of burglaries
Groton — For the second time in less than a month, a fired former Norwich police officer is facing charges connected to a smash-and-grab style burglary.
Groton Town Police on Tuesday charged Jamie Longolucco, 41, in connection with an Aug. 31, 2014, burglary of two paintings from The Finer Line Gallery in downtown Mystic.
Police said someone had smashed a window to access the gallery and made off with the paintings. Police obtained a description of a vehicle leaving the scene and also surveillance footage of at least two people committing the crime.
That theft is one of at least five burglaries under investigation by police in Groton, Stonington and Westerly.
Groton Town Police Detective Lt. John Varone said investigators are working together because of the similarities in how the burglaries were committed.
Longolucco was one of two people charged on June 15 in connection with a burglary at Yost Estate Jewelry and Stonington Antiques Etc. at 148 Water St. in Stonington borough. In that case, police said someone smashed a large plate glass window and stole jewelry from the store.
Longolucco and 34-year-old Meredith Soulia of Groton were arrested that same morning in a car matching the description of the vehicle spotted leaving the scene of the burglary.
Stonington police continue to investigate the theft of two boat models from the Water Street Barber Shop in December. In that case, police said a witness saw a woman get out of a car on Water Street and smash the front window to access the boats.
Varone said detectives had obtained a warrant for Longolucco’s arrest in the Mystic burglary. Longolucco was located and arrested by Westerly police as a fugitive from justice and held until his presentment in a Wakefield, R.I., court on Tuesday. Longolucco waived his extradition to Connecticut and posted $10,000 bail in the Groton case.
Varone said he expects another arrest in the Mystic burglary and further arrests in connection with the string of burglaries being jointly investigated.
Longolucco is charged with sixth-degree larceny, third-degree criminal mischief and third-degree burglary in the Groton case. He faces charges of third-degree burglary, fourth-degree larceny, first-degree criminal mischief and driving with a suspended license in the pending Stonington case.
Longolucco was fired from the Norwich police department in 2007 following a string of three arrests in incidents that included the 2005 theft of three fake Faberge eggs from the Goldsmith and Silversmith Shop in downtown Mystic, where a front window was smashed.
He ultimately was convicted of third-degree assault and two counts of breach of peace stemming from an off-duty altercation with two women in New London.
Twitter: @SmittyDay
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