Community Corner

Man Charged After Theft of $2,700 in Goods from Girlfriend's Mother

Police said for the second time in a week, the boyfriend of a local resident is facing charges after stealing a considerable amount from his girlfriends family.

A Queen Street man is facing charges including third-degree larceny following an investigation into the theft of $2,700 in goods and forged checks taken from a Woodruff Street resident earlier this year, police said.

Justin Russ, 23, was charged through a writ of habeas corpus last week. Russ, formerly of 272 Queen St., was arraigned during an appearance at New Britain Superior Court on charges of third-degree larceny and third-degree forgery.

State Department of Correction records show that Russ remains in state custody at the Hartford Correctional Center in lieu of $140,000 in court-set bonds.

“It’s another case where the boyfriend of the homeowner’s daughter was allegedly found to have used his access to the home in order to steal a considerable amount of items,” said Sgt. Lowell DePalma.

Police said that in February, a Woodruff Street resident complained that checks and a variety of valuables were missing from the home. The victim suspected that her daughter’s boyfriend might have been involved “due to behavior he had shown in recent weeks.”

Detectives learned through an investigation that Russ had taken various checks that he cashed at Price Chopper on Queen Street, as well as jewelry, a router, an AM/FM radio receiver and tools, DePalma said. It was unknown if the items had been recovered.

Russ has remained in custody since he was arrested in Berlin on March 14 in connection with a narcotics case. He is facing charges of possession of narcotics and violation of probation in that case.

This marked the second time in a one-week period that a local resident reported a theft allegedly committed by her daughter’s boyfriend.

On March 15, local resident after allegedly admitting to detectives that he took $6,700 worth of jewelry and other items from his girlfriend’s family. Mastrianni was arraigned on Monday morning.

“It just goes to show that you can’t be too careful with who you allow to have access to your home,” DePalma said.

Russ is due back in Bristol Superior Court on April 19, according to court records.


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