Stolen Cheese, Spuds And Missing Pants Lead To Arrest In Vernon

VERNON, CT — A woman with a history of smashing windows and entering dwellings was arrested on a warrant in Vernon Monday, police said.

Tammy Gardner, 43, was charged with third-degree burglary and third-degree criminal mischief on a warrant for the Aug. 19 incident and was to appear in court Tuesday, police said.

According to a warrant, Gardner had stayed over at an apartment at 105 Union Street one night. During her stay, Gardner had briefly locked herself in a bathroom, after which the resident's pants and wallet went missing, according to a warrant. The resident eventually found the pants and wallet hidden in the bathroom and money was missing from the wallet, according to a warrant.

The resident claimed to have left the home for 20 minutes to run an errand on Aug. 19 — a few days later after Gardner's short stay — and found Gardner on the porch after arriving back home, according to a warrant. A window was broken, but Gardner said she let herself in to claim some belongings.

The resident said the window was not broken prior to her arrival and found Gardner with a plastic bag containing stolen items that included American cheese and red potatoes, according to a warrant.

The resident threatened to call police and Gardner fled the property, according to a warrant. Police said they applied for an arrest warrant based on the resident's testimony and that of several witnesses who saw her running up the street.

Gardner has a history of encounters with Vernon police and has been accused of smashing windows in the past. On April 23, she was arrested after an incident during which a cinder block was heaved through a window in the Rockville section.

Gardner was accused of entering the home and threatening to kill an occupant, according to police records.

During the August incident, police found a "smoking pipe" hidden in a cigarette pack in her pocket, according to a warrant.

Photo Credit: VPD

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