City Woman Catches TV Burglar in the Act

A 23-year-old city man was arrested on Wednesday after he was red handedly caught stealing televisions from a woman's home, police said.

According to Sgt. Robert Shawinsky of the , the victim arrived at her home at 23 Gregory Avenue after grocery shopping with her children and noticed one of her TVs sitting on the front lawn. When she entered her home, she told police that she found a man, later identified as Lewin Dawkins of 162 Connecticut Ave., removing a television from her bedroom.

When the victim asked what Dawkins was doing, Shawinsky said that he identified himself as a cable TV repairman and proceeded to place the TV and the remote control in a yellow plastic bag. The suspect became suspicious and called the police. By the time officers arrived, Shawinsky said, Dawkins left the property on foot.

Officers later found Dawkins walking through the parking lot of Toyota of Stamford on Myrtle Avenue. According to police, he was taken back to the victim's home, where the she identified him as the man who took her TV. Shawinsky said that, as a result of routine search of the suspect, officers found a six-and-a-half inch blade knife and small bags of marijuana packaged for sale in his possession.

Dawkins was charged with first-degree burglary, sale of a controlled substance, carrying a dangerous weapon and possession of less than four ounces of marijuana. He is being held on a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 28.

Shawinsky added that police believe a second party might have been involved in the burglary, but fled the scene before police arrived. Both TVs were recovered and are being held at the police department as evidence.