Police Say Hartford Man Has Been Involved in String Of Area Burglaries

A Hartford man is facing multiple criminal charges after police said he was caught in the act while trying to burglarize a liquor store on Meriden-Waterbury Road late last year.

Officers served a warrant on Tony Mercado, 19, of 185 Sherbroke Avenue in Hartford. He was arraigned in Bristol Superior Court Wednesday and charged with third-degree burglary, sixth-degree larceny, second-degree criminal mischief and conspiracy charges to each.

Detectives investigating a November incident at Wineland Liquors on the Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike used video surveillance and other evidence to connect Mercado to the 3 a.m. burglary.

Mercado had stolen multiple bottles of liquor during the burglary, police said.

Court records show that Mercado was given a $25,000 bond in this case, but is currently being held by the Department of Corrections for a variety of pending cases involving similar burglaries in Hartford, West Hartford, Bristol and Meriden.