Crime & Safety

Beer Motive, Accomplice Emerge in Break-in Case

Middletown Police reported a second arrest in the vacation home break-in case that occurred earlier this week and left behind clues including half-eaten Tostitos and a cell phone found at the scene.

A search for beer was the alleged motive behind the break-in of a vacation rental home earlier this week, as police reported a second arrest in the case where initial clues left at the scene had included half-eaten Tostitos and a cell phone with personal photos and other indentifiers.

David Eric DelNero, 26, of Middletown, was arrested Tuesday around 4:42 pm on a felony charge of breaking and entering in connection with the case that occurred earlier this week at 30 Warren Avenue, a vacation rental occupied by guests attending a Newport wedding.

Within two hours after the break-in occurred, investigators had arrested Kristopher Almeida, 31, of Middletown, after allegedly linking a cell phone and half-eaten bag of Tostitos tortilla chips found at the scene directly to Almeida.

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Police on Wednesday reported that DelNero's arrest came after detectives' further questioning of Almeida allegedly implicated DelNero as an accomplice to the break-in, which occurred around 1 am, Monday, Aug. 2, 2010.

Almeida allegedly confessed to police, describing how after leaving a local bar early Monday morning with his co-worker, DelNero, they bought Tostitos brand tortilla chips at a Cumberland Farms and, upon walking home, they noticed a cooler on the porch at 30 Warren Avenue. Almeida claimed that he told DelNero that he "wanted another beer" and that DelNero was supposed to check the cooler for beer. When DelNero didn't return right away, Almeida told detectives that he searched for him outside and then saw DelNero allegedly enter the vacation home through a window.

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Almeida allegedly told detectives that when he followed DelNero into the house to call for him, he heard a woman scream and DelNero immediately fled the home, telling Almeida they "have to go."

Detectives also reported that surveillance tapes at the Cumberland Farms where the Tostitos were purchased showed footage of DelNero walking with Almeida in the direction of the break-in site.

DelNero was held overnight and arraigned at Second Division District Court Wednesday morning.


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