A former Glastonbury cop is now accused of breaking into a business on the shoreline, and it might just be the start of cases for Patrick Hemingway.
Authorities say they suspect he might be behind dozens of burglaries around New England.
At the Pizza Palace in Old Saybrook, the owner learned police finally made an arrest following a break-in back in May.
“It was unreal to think they could do that to little mom and pop shops,” said Stavros Gianitsos, Pizza Palace owner.
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Investigators say former Glastonbury Police officer Patrick Hemingway is facing a burglary charge. The police department issued the following statement regarding his arrest:
"We acknowledge the recent arrests of Mr. Hemingway and are aware that there may be additional arrests pending. The Glastonbury Police staff feels a mix of embarrassment and anger, as it is disheartening to see someone who once wore our patch and worked alongside us blatantly betray the public's trust.
Our officers have sworn an oath to safeguard and serve the Glastonbury community. Through years of unwavering dedication, they have diligently upheld this commitment, fostering positive and collaborative relationships.
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Mr. Hemingway's actions stand in stark contrast to the bravery, dedication, and hard work exhibited by the men and women of the Glastonbury Police Department. We express gratitude to everyone who has reached out to support our staff. "
“It’s just too bad because I know a lot of police officers, a lot of good police officers to have this happen and to think it happened here is unbelievable,” Gianitsos said.
According to court documents, Hemingway had been a police officer in Glastonbury until he resigned in September and before that served in New Britain.
Authorities say they suspect he pulled off 30 or more burglaries in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
Also on Wednesday, Wethersfield police announced an arrest in a burglary at the Old Wethersfield Country Store from February. Police say a Patrick Hemingway was charged, but have not yet confirmed it was the former officer.
“Now we can kind of move forward and think a little better about general safety for the store and making sure something like this doesn’t happen again,” said Marjorie Bausmith, Old Wethersfield Country Store owner.
In September, Hemingway was arrested for allegedly illegally using law enforcement systems, possibly to check if investigators were on to him.
Following the recent developments, Hemingway’s attorney James Sulick told us:
“I do think progress was made today that finally some of the alleged warrants were served that were used to justify the very high bond out of Hartford.”
Hemingway is being held on a $1 million bond.
We’re told Old Saybrook was the first burglary case to go forward. It’s unclear how many more might be coming.
