FAIRFIELD, CT — Two Brooklyn, New York, men were arrested last month by Fairfield police, following an investigation into a series of residential burglaries in the town's Greenfield Hill section, according to authorities.
Levan Aleksidze, 40, and Mamuka Chaganava, 47, were each charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree burglary and held on $100,000 bonds, according to Fairfield police.
Police said several homes in the Greenfield Hill area had been burglarized under similar circumstances. In each case, the homes were unoccupied, and the burglars targeted high-end jewelry.
Detectives investigating the burglaries used Fairfield's automated license plate reader system to identify a vehicle believed to have been used by the suspects after they fled one of the crime scenes, police said.
The license plate reader data, combined with additional evidence and investigative techniques, helped detectives identify the suspects, according to authorities. Investigators also coordinated with regional law enforcement agencies.
On Sept. 24, Fairfield detectives were conducting targeted surveillance in Greenfield Hill as part of the investigation. Working with the Bridgeport Police Auto Theft Task Force, investigators located the suspect vehicle traveling through the neighborhood and monitored it as it moved along several residential roads.
Police said investigators observed activity suggesting the vehicle's occupants were scouting locations for another possible burglary.
Detectives, assisted by Fairfield patrol officers and members of the Bridgeport task force, stopped the vehicle and took both occupants into custody before another burglary could occur, police said.
Fairfield Police Chief Michael Paris credited the department's detectives, patrol officers and regional law enforcement partners for their work on the investigation.
"Our residents deserve to feel safe in their homes, and when a pattern of crime develops in Fairfield, we are going to dedicate the resources necessary to address it," Paris said. "This was truly a team effort between our detectives, patrol officers, and our law enforcement partners. I am proud of the work they did to identify those believed to be responsible and intervene before they could act again."
In addition to surveillance, the investigation also involved analysis of investigative data and coordination among several agencies, including the Bridgeport Police Auto Theft Task Force and the Kings County District Attorney's Office in New York.
The investigation into the Greenfield Hill burglaries remains ongoing, and detectives continue to review evidence gathered during the case, police said.
"Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, additional details cannot be released at this time, as doing so could hinder further investigative efforts," authorities said.
They added, "The Fairfield Police Department remains committed to using every available investigative
resource to identify those responsible for crimes in our community and, whenever possible, intervene before additional crimes occur."
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