East Hamtpon, NY - November 8, 2013 - A 22 year old alleged house burglar with a voracious heroin addiction has pleaded not guilty to a 27 count indictment charging him with burglarizing more than two dozen east end homes, Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said.
Justin Bennett is charged with 25 counts of Burglary in the Second Degree, one count of Attempted Burglary in the Second Degree and one count of Attempted Burglary in the Third Degree.
“As the indictment details, the defendant over the first ten months of this year burglarized 25 homes in East Hampton, Southampton and Sag Harbor,” DA Spota said.
“He usually entered a house through an unlocked door, or he would use a poorly concealed Hide-A-Key that he’d find without much effort. From January through October, Bennett stole thousands of dollars of jewelry, including family heirlooms and engraved wedding bands, as well as cash,” Spota said.
In the attempted burglary of a house on Flaggy Hole Road in East Hampton, Bennett was confronted by a resident of the home who was able to later identify him.
Upon his arrest Bennett admitted to all 25 break-ins in interviews with detectives of the East Hampton, Southampton and Sag Harbor police departments.
Bennett faces a maximum of fifteen years’ incarceration on each of the 25 burglary charges. “Because of the number of crimes he is alleged to have committed, and his severe heroin addiction, he is a serious flight risk and, as such, we asked for substantial bail,” District Attorney Spota said.
Judge Richard Ambro set cash bail at $200,000 with a bond alternative of $400,000.