Elbridge, NY – A trap set by a village of Elbridge resident whose garage had been burglarized wound up identifying a suspect in those break-ins as well as several thefts from a local restaurant, state police said. Michael P. Kelly, 20, of 202 W. Main St., Elbridge, was charged Wednesday with second-degree burglary in connection with burglaries of the homeowner’s...
Elbridge, NY – A trap set by a village of Elbridge resident whose garage had been burglarized wound up identifying a suspect in those break-ins as well as several thefts from a local restaurant, state police said.
Michael P. Kelly, 20, of 202 W. Main St., Elbridge, was charged Wednesday with second-degree burglary in connection with burglaries of the homeowner’s garage, and third-degree burglary related to break-ins at the Elbridge Plaza Restaurant, 243 E. Main St., Investigator Arthur Broccoli said. Both charges are felonies.
Michael P. KellyThe homeowner said he put a new gas can containing water as well as gas on the garage workbench.
The homeowner said his son, returning from an errand about 1 a.m. Sunday, saw Kelly’s vehicle leaving the neighborhood, and then found the gas can was missing when he arrived home.
Father and son called troopers, who found Kelly’s car disabled on Route 5, Broccoli said. A mechanic later found the car had water in its fuel system, he said. Troopers found the chainsaw in Kelly’s basement, he said.
The homeowner’s son, an acquaintance of Kelly’s, told troopers that Kelly also had bragged to him about the restaurant break-ins, Broccoli said.
Kelly already had been a suspect in at least two break-ins during July at the Elbridge Plaza Restaurant that netted a total of about $500, Broccoli said. An image recorded by an infrared camera set up in the restaurant did not capture the suspect’s face but showed features that investigators believed belonged to Kelly, he said.