Burglary Suspect Taken Into Custody on Highland Terrace

From the Middletown Police Department
(This report made available through nixle.com where residents can sign up for immediate notification of Police, Fire and Emergency reports)

On 9/23/09 at approximately 12:57pm Officer’s from the Middletown Police Departments Patrol Division responded to 53 Highland Terrace, Middletown for a report of a burglary in progress.

Initial investigation showed that a neighbor observed a “young looking” white male, whom she identified as a person whom does not reside there, enter the rear of the residence. At this time the neighbor contacted police who arrived a short time later.

Upon officer’s arrival it was discovered that the suspect had just fled the area and officer’s immediately set up a perimeter to contain the suspect. A description of the suspect was given to Police and a K-9 was called in to conduct a track of the suspect.

While on a perimeter set up, Officer Yepes of the Middletown Police Department’s Patrol Division observed a subject matching the description given by the neighbor. Ofc Yepes stopped the subject and through further investigation identified him as the suspect, the suspect was then taken into custody without incident.

The person who was arrested in this incident has been charged with Burglary 3rd and has been identified as a Youthful Offender, therefore his name is being withheld at this time.

If anyone has information regarding this incident, please contact the Middletown Police Department at 344-3200.

Burglary Suspect Arrested

At approximately 12:30 AM, Wednesday morning Middletown police arrested Jeffrey Gramfield, 38, of 219 Crown Street, Meriden for attempted burglary, possession of burglary tools and possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to Deputy Chief Patrick McMahon, Gramfield was arrested in the block of Pearl Street between Liberty and Grand.

Police have been on heightened alert after a number of burglaries and break-ins in neighborhoods surrounding Wesleyan University. Yesterday police officers and a tracking dog were seen in the area of Home Avenue after a number of break-ins and attempted break-ins were reported there yesterday.

This is the report of one Home Avenue resident:

A man just walked across our lawn at 34 Home Ave, and students came
over immediately to tell me he fit the description of somebody
suspected to be breaking in to houses lately. Public Safety and MPD
came over and confirmed that 9 or 10 houses have been burgled in the
last 24 hours in the area immediately near campus. So: Lock doors,
windows, and stay alert to this.

Description: 40-something-ish dark complected Black male, 6 feet
tall or so, with braids or dreads under a do-rag (today) and wearing
a grey shirt (today).

There is also notice of the police work on Wesleying.

McMahon attributed the arrest to a call from an alert resident. McMahon encourages Middletown residents to report suspicious activity by calling the Police Department at 344-3200.

Gramfield was arraigned and is being held on $5000 bond.

Rash of Burglaries at Wesleyan and Village District

Several student rooms in off-campus housing, and a few reported incidents in nearby neighborhoods seem to indicate a pattern of small robberies in the neighborhoods surrounding Wesleyan. Wesleyan Public Safety sent out a warning about thiefs who enter after cutting screens, or climbing through open windows.

One neighbor reported, "last week, we had two instances of young men trying to open our
downstairs tenants' windows and their back door. The tenants were
home -- and on questioning, the men said they'd been sent to repair
the window and door, but cited a different Pearl Street address."