GLASTONBURY — -
A Birch Mountain Road orchard owner was twice targeted by thieves in recent days.
The most recent, and most serious incident, occurred about 1 p.m. Tuesday when the orchard owner confronted a man helping himself to several cases of apples.
The apple grower confronted Richard Pezzente, 48, of Old Colchester Road in Hebron, and told him that he had no right to be on his property and to leave, said Glastonbury police Sgt. Joel White. Pezzente insisted that he did, helped himself to the apples, shoved the orchard owner out of the way and got into his car, White said. The orchard owner dialed 911 on a cell phone and stood in front of Pezzente's car. Pezzente then bumped his car into the man's legs several times to get him to move, White said. When he didn't, he got out of his car, put the man into a headlock and choked him, then moved him aside so he could drive off, White said.
"He turned a simple larceny of apples into a robbery and strangulation," White said of Pezzente.
Pezzente drove off. Glastonbury police broadcast a description of his car and a short time later a Manchester officer stopped on I-384 in Manchester, White said.
"The fruits of the crime were in the car," White said. Pezzente was held on $100,000 bail and faces charges of first-degree robbery, third-degree assault, sixth-degree larceny, third-degree strangulation and third-degree criminal trespass.
In the second incident, the same orchard owner found boxes of freshly picked apples in a Vermont man's car. Colin C. McNamara, 26, of Brattleboro, was charged with sixth-degree larceny and criminal trespass.
Such incidents are unusual, White said. To have both incidents happen to the same orchard owner is even more unusual, White said.
—David Owens
The most recent, and most serious incident, occurred about 1 p.m. Tuesday when the orchard owner confronted a man helping himself to several cases of apples.
The apple grower confronted Richard Pezzente, 48, of Old Colchester Road in Hebron, and told him that he had no right to be on his property and to leave, said Glastonbury police Sgt. Joel White. Pezzente insisted that he did, helped himself to the apples, shoved the orchard owner out of the way and got into his car, White said. The orchard owner dialed 911 on a cell phone and stood in front of Pezzente's car. Pezzente then bumped his car into the man's legs several times to get him to move, White said. When he didn't, he got out of his car, put the man into a headlock and choked him, then moved him aside so he could drive off, White said.
"He turned a simple larceny of apples into a robbery and strangulation," White said of Pezzente.
Pezzente drove off. Glastonbury police broadcast a description of his car and a short time later a Manchester officer stopped on I-384 in Manchester, White said.
"The fruits of the crime were in the car," White said. Pezzente was held on $100,000 bail and faces charges of first-degree robbery, third-degree assault, sixth-degree larceny, third-degree strangulation and third-degree criminal trespass.
In the second incident, the same orchard owner found boxes of freshly picked apples in a Vermont man's car. Colin C. McNamara, 26, of Brattleboro, was charged with sixth-degree larceny and criminal trespass.
Such incidents are unusual, White said. To have both incidents happen to the same orchard owner is even more unusual, White said.
—David Owens
