Police: Man broke into 7 businesses in 36 days

STAMFORD — A 51year-old city man who police say was behind seven commercial burglaries in just over a month was arrested Sunday.

Capt. Richard Conklin said Fabio Martinez-Rodriguez, 51, of Stamford, was arrested by police around 3:30 a.m. following a reported break-in at a variety store in downtown Stamford.

Police responded to a break-in at Parkview Variety, 233 Main St., at 3:15 a.m.

The suspect, who was caught on camera, smashed the front door of the store and made off $237, Conklin said.

Using surveillance footage from the store, police released a description of the suspect to all patrol officers and, within minutes, officers found a man fitting that description, later identified as Martinez-Rodriguez, walking down Atlantic Street.

Conklin said Martinez-Rodriguez had cuts on his hand from the smashed window at the store, as well as $237 in his pockets. Martinez-Rodriguez was treated for the cuts to his hands and then arrested, according to Conklin.

While in custody, Martinez-Rodriguez confessed to six other commercial burglaries, all of which involved smashing windows at local convenience stores and making off with money left in the register, over the past month, Conklin said.

According to Conklin, Martinez-Rodriguez confessed to burglarizing businesses at 162 Grove St. on Sept. 11, 820 East Main St. on Sept. 24, 777 Atlantic St. on Sept. 24, 320 Elm St. on Oct. 5, 27 Bedford St. on Oct. 9 and 199 Main St. on Oct. 10.

Martinez-Rodriguez was charged with third-degree burglary, sixth-degree larceny and criminal mischief in connection to Sunday’s break-in.

Conklin said police are in the process of drafting arrest warrants tied to the previous six burglaries.

Martinez-Rodriguez is being held on $100,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 1.