Former Police Officer Accused of Being Serial Burglar in CT, RI, and MA
A former police officer from Glastonbury, Connecticut, has been accused of being a serial burglar in multiple states. The arrest warrant, which was unsealed by the Connecticut Superior Court on Friday, alleges that Patrick Hemingway, 37, was responsible for over 30 burglaries in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. The warrant claims that Hemingway specifically targeted restaurant businesses, focusing on safes and cash registers to steal cash. In some cases, he allegedly used lock-picking tools to gain access to the premises.
The alleged burglaries are believed to have taken place between February 2023 and June 2023 in various jurisdictions. Investigators are still working to determine the full extent of Hemingway’s alleged criminal activities. They have relied on cellphone tower data and surveillance camera footage from multiple burglary scenes to identify him as a suspect. Hemingway reportedly took precautions by wearing a facemask and gloves during the break-ins. He also utilized his wife’s black Jeep with fraudulent license plates.
Disturbingly, investigators have evidence of Hemingway listening to his police radio while inside one of the establishments he targeted. Additionally, he is accused of using the police computer system to run his own car license plates, potentially to check if he was under investigation.
Prior to his employment at the Glastonbury Police Department, Hemingway served as an officer with the New Britain Police Department from August 2009 to January 2019. He resigned from the Glastonbury Police Department on September 1, 2023.
While the Glastonbury Police Department has not officially confirmed it, sources have suggested that Hemingway could be linked to a broader burglary investigation spanning Connecticut and Massachusetts. In September, Lieutenant Kevin Szydlo released a statement acknowledging that they were alerted to the possibility that a former Glastonbury police officer was a person of interest in a recent burglary investigation that involved multiple jurisdictions.
News 8 reached out to both the Glastonbury and Wethersfield police departments for comment on the allegations detailed in the arrest warrant.
Last month, Judge Sheila Prats hinted at the possibility of additional charges being filed against Hemingway. He is currently being held on a $1 million bond.
This case raises concerns about the accountability and integrity of law enforcement officers. As investigations continue into Hemingway’s alleged crimes, authorities must thoroughly examine the hiring and training processes within police departments to ensure that individuals with criminal intentions are not granted positions of power.
