Gronkowski Home Break-In Trio Tried To Sell Stolen Items: Cops

FOXBOROUGH, MA — Three people charged in the Rob Gronkowski house break-in looked to sell items taken from the football star’s home, according to court records.

Police arrested 31-year-old Anthony Almeida at his Randolph home Friday morning on charges of breaking and entering in the nighttime for a felony, two counts of receiving stolen property, and malicious destruction of property. He was ordered held on $5,000 cash bail during his arraignment Friday in Wrentham District Court. Arrest warrants have been issued for Shayne Denn, 26, of Tewksbury and Eric Tyrrell, 28, of Foxborough.

Gronkowski reported the break-in Feb. 5, the same day he returned from the Super Bowl in Minneapolis, prompting the investigation. He told police that items including watches, coins, and guns were taken from his home. Camera footage reviewed by police show a person walking around the exterior of Gronkowski’s Congdon Circle. At one point, the person, later identified as Denn, breaks a basement window and runs away to test the security system. Denn is also caught on indoor cameras, according to a police report.

Police also reviewed footage from Stop and Shop on Route 140, which neighbors the property. At around the same time, a truck could be seen parked in a fire lane before driving away and coming back. Inside, Almeida was caught on camera buying items from the supermarket and using a rewards number which not only hadn't been used at the store until that day, but was also his phone number. Police confirmed that the truck seen outside Stop and Shop belongs to Almeida.

During the investigation, a currency dealer in Weymouth received an alert for stolen coins and told police he had both coins in possession. He said he bought an 1879 US Morgan Dollar and 1896 Morgan Dollar from Tyrrell in late February and was told by Tyrrell that the coins belonged to his father.

On commerce website LetGo.com, investigators discovered that an account belonging to Almeida had a Rolex watch for sale and a photo of a snowblower for sale appeared to be taken outside his home.

On March 11, Boston Police informed Foxborough Police that a vehicle matching the truck involved in the investigation is part of another investigation related to a break-in on Blue Hill Avenue. The suspect, in that case, is believed to be Denn.

Police arrested Almeida after Gronkowski confirmed that the coins and watch belonged to him. A search of Almeida's bedroom turned up a box for an Apple Watch with a white sports band. The watch was not in the box, but was found to be on Almeida, according to the report.

After his arrest, Almeida initially told police that he was in Foxborough during the night of the break-in to pick up Tyrrell, who he works with sometimes, but admitted that he with Denn. He went on to state that Denn went into the woods and he drove off but came back after Denn called him.

“I came back like the idiot I am. I should have just left that (expletive) out there,” Almeida allegedly told police.

Almedia told police that Tyrrel received the coins from Denn to paw and they split the money, admitting that he used a work van to give Tyrrell a ride.

While the police report does not list the criminal history for Almeida and Tyrrell, Denn is listed as having 89 arraignments as an adult, including 11 for break-ins.

Most of the items, with the exception of the firearms, have been recovered, according to police.

Image via Foxborough Police Department