Concerned Citizen Helps Police Catch Suspected Serial Car Burglars

Police have charged two 19-year-olds in connection with a string of car burglaries in the Strawberry Lane, Meriden Avenue and South End Road area and officers said Wednesday that additional arrests could be coming in the near future.

Police took Justin Butler, of Middletown, and Meriden resident Edward Goralnik Jr., into custody late last week after the two were found with a number of stolen items early Friday morning. Both were arraigned later Friday in Bristol Super Court on charges of third-degree burglary, sixth-degree larceny and conspiracy charges for both.

Court records show that Goralnik remains in custody in lieu of a $50,000 bond and Butler is being held in lieu of a $75,000 bond.

Dispatchers received a call from a concerned resident on Strawberry Lane around 2 a.m. Friday morning, according to Sgt. Lowell DePalma. The resident reported hearing car doors slamming and looked out the window to see two men running down the street.

After giving a description of the vehicle, a white coupe with tinted windows, officers located the car moments later on South End Road, a police report said. Butler remained in the car, but Goralnik took off running, forcing police to call for a canine unit.

was able to track Goralnik to a nearby swamp, finding him hiding behind a tree. He was taken into custody without further incident, the police report said.

“It was later determined that the two had been involved in at least 10 car burglary thefts in the area, with victims on Strawberry Lane, Meriden Avenue and South End Road,” DePalma said.

A search of the two men and the vehicle revealed they were in possession of several stolen items including a wallet, sunglasses and headphones, police said.

Both Butler and Goralnik are due back in court on March 2.

“The case remains open as our detectives continue to follow leads,” DePalma said. “There may be more additional arrests coming and police are trying to determine what else may have been taken.”