SHELTON PD PHOTO
SHELTON — Police accused a father and son of burglary after allegedly breaking into a house then ramming a truck through a garage door while fleeing the scene of the crime.
Christopher Barretta Sr., 47, of Orange, was charged Feb. 3 with first-degree burglary, first-degree reckless endangerment, first-degree criminal mischief, and fourth-degree larceny, according to a prepared statement from police.
Police said his son, Christopher Barretta, Jr., 18, also of Orange, was arrested Feb. 2 and charged with first-degree burglary and fourth-degree larceny.
Both men are free after posting $10,000 bonds.
State business records show a Christopher Barretta listed as a principal member of Derby Downtown, LLC, the partnership that initially applied and won approval from the Derby Planning & Zoning Commission to build 203 apartments and 8,000 square feet of retail space at 23 Factory St. in the Derby Redevelopment Zone. Barretta Sr. was at the February 2020 meeting during which the site plan application was approved.
A lawyer representing Barretta Sr. on a separate criminal case declined comment.
The charges stem from an incident that happened Jan. 6. Shelton police said they received a call from a homeowner who said two men broke into his garage.
The caller wasn’t at his house — but was watching the crime happen through his security cameras.
“The homeowner informed the dispatcher that two men forcefully broke into his garage and then backed their truck in and closed the door,” according to a prepared statement sent by Shelton Police Detective Richard Bango.
Two officers arrived at the scene and announced from the driveway that they were cops.
Police said Barretta Sr., who was inside the garage, smashed his truck through the garage door, nearly hitting one of the officers, and took off.
“A short pursuit ensued and the two men were able to elude police. The truck was later discovered abandoned in the backyard of a nearby house,” police said.
Police obtained a search warrant from which they were able to obtain arrest warrants for the two men. Police did not detail in their prepared statement how they came to develop the pair as suspects.
An investigation was conducted by Detectives and after executing search and seizure warrants they were able to build probable cause to secure arrest warrants both Barretta Sr and Jr.
Baretta Sr. is due in court March 16. Baretta Jr. is due in court March 11.
Police said the investigation is ongoing.
In an email, Andrew Baklik, Derby Mayor Rich Dziekan’s chief of staff, said he does not believe the arrest impacts the Factory Street development approved in Februrary 2020.
“The rest of the Derby Downtown, LLC. team has continually expressed their commitment to the project,” Baklik said.
