A Hartford man is charged with larceny four years after he stole another man's life savings from a Department of Motor Vehicles counter in Wethersfield, according to police.
Edgardo Casas, 55, of Hartford was arrested for larceny last week after a lengthy investigation.
Casas was caught on tape walking out of the DMV office with a black bag containing more than $40,000 in cash that Zbignew Malecki accidentally left behind in October 2008, according to police.
"I'm very happy," Malecki said about the arrest. He said he never thought police would find a suspect.
Malecki, of Southington had just returned from his native Poland and was planning to deposit the cash into his bank account after stopping at the D.M.V., he said. He set the bag of cash down as he filled out paperwork and then forgot to pick it up.
"This woman from the window called me. I forgot those bags," Malecki said.
By the time he returned minutes later, the money was gone.
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Police initially focused on two other people as suspects, but later realized they were not involved in the crime, according to police.
The case was re-opened in the fall. A detective reviewed the video and quickly realized Casas was to blame.
"He was able to track down the woman who the suspect was with at the D.M.V. and through some good detective work was able to find out the name of the suspect," said Lt. Andrew Power of the Wethersfield Police Department.
Police did not recover any of the stolen money.
Casas was arraigned on the larceny charge in New Britain Superior Court. He was released on a $20,000 bond.
