The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Convenience store worker charged with stealing $16K
Police: New Britain woman took lottery tickets, cash
CROMWELL — A 27-year-old New Britain woman has been charged with embezzling more than $16,000 from a Berlin Road business.
Senior police officials say the case was a complicated one that involved the theft of money and lottery tickets over a nearly three-week period this past summer. It was unraveled by the efforts of Officer Peter Pietraroia, who was assigned to the detective division in February and was conducting what “really was his first big case,” officials said.
In her regular monthly report to the Town Council, Police Chief Denise Lamontagne outlined the investigation and said Pietraroia had done “an exceptional job.”
“This was a very timeconsuming case and Detective Pietraroia conducted a very thorough investigation,” Sgt. Steve Penn said during a discussion of the case Friday.
“For one thing, this investigation required Detective Pietraroia to immerse himself in the intricacies of the state lottery,” Capt. Kevin A. VanderSloot said.
In June, police were contacted by the owner of a Berlin Road convenience store “about some unexplained losses,” VanderSloot said. The store owner had identified an employee whom he believed was responsible. The thefts, totaling $16,353, included both cash and lottery tickets and took place between June 6 and 18, VanderSloot said.
At the time, the captain was overseeing the detective division on a temporary basis. He assigned Pietraroia, who launched a broad-scale investigation, VanderSloot said.
“He was multitasking and using all his efforts together at one time,” he said.
Pietraroia reached out to both the Connecticut Lottery Commission and the state Department of Consumer Protection, VanderSloot said. After becoming familiar with the process, “Detective Pietraroia was able track the dates and times of the some of the (winnings) the suspect was claiming,” VanderSloot said.
Pietraroia also reached out to the suspect.
“Initially, she agreed to be interviewed,” VanderSloot said. But then, as the date and time of the interview drew closer, the suspect became increasingly less cooperative, until she finally told Pietraroia to speak to her attorney.
Pietraroia’s familiarity with the lottery operation enabled him to confirm the identity of the suspect, VanderSloot said. He compiled three binders full of evidence and information on the case, the captain said.
In fact, Penn said, his work was so thorough that prosecutors asked for an outline of the case.
When Petraroia applied for a warrant for the suspect’s arrest, it was readily granted, VanderSloot said.
On Sept. 19, the suspect, Amanda Johnson, was arrested and charged with second-degree larceny.
She was released on $25,000 bail and is due back in Middlesex Superior Court Nov. 14.