Church Burglary in South Windsor Results in Arrest

SOUTH WINDSOR, CT — An overnight burglary at a South Windsor church Saturday resulted in the arrest of a Tariffville man found sleeping in a car behind a nearby business.

Around 8 a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to the Truth Baptist Church on Burnham Street, where surveillance video had captured a suspect inside the building at about 4 a.m., Deputy Chief Scott Custer said.

A short time later, police located a suspicious person sleeping in a car behind a business on Route 5, or John Fitch Boulevard. The person was identified as the suspect in the burglary that had occurred a few hours earlier, and later admitted to this and other burglaries at the church, Custer said.

Christopher Purdie, 30 of 37 Hayes Road, Tariffville, was charged with third-degree burglary, criminal attempt to commit sixth-degree larceny and possession of burglar’s tools.

Purdie was held on $10,000 surety bond, and was scheduled to be arraigned Monday in Manchester Superior Court.

Photo courtesy of South Windsor Police Department