Hartford police have arrested a man suspect of posing as a student and committing several burglaries at Trinity College for drug money.
Police said they responded to the college just before 6:30 p.m. Monday after receiving a report of a burglary suspect was fighting with security and officers handcuffed the suspect, 28-year-old Jason Robert Miller.
While detaining him, police recognized him as a person wanted in connection with several burglaries and larcenies on campus since October, police said.
"Let's call it what it is this is opioid addiction," Hartford Deputy Chief Brian Foley said.
Foley said the measures Miller took to find and steal laptops for drug money, speak to the extremes addicts will go. Investigators said Miller pretended to be a student roaming the campus looking for unsecured laptops and was seen twice on video leaving the building with the stolen laptops.
"The larcenies and thefts that are associated with the desperation to obtain drugs when you have a severe opioid addiction that's the case with these thefts here," Foley said.
Hartford police said Miller would steal the items to sell at local businesses that would buy them and used the money for narcotics.
Hartford police said Miller ultimately confessed to three stolen laptop incidents and identified his alleged accomplice.
Police said at least two more arrest warrants are pending for other burglaries and larcenies on campus.
Miller has 14 arrests in Connecticut on larceny, burglary and narcotics charges and 10 arrests in Hartford, according to police.
He was charged with fourth-degree larceny and assault on public safety officer.
