Two men are facing 19 charges after Windsor police say a residential break-in started with an open garage door.
Officers responded shortly after 6 a.m. on June 23 to a report of a break-and-enter and vehicle theft at a home in the 5600 block of Riverside Drive East, according to Windsor Police.
Investigators said two suspects entered the home’s open garage and stole several power tools, credit cards, debit cards, and the vehicle inside.
For homeowners, the case shows why a garage should be treated as part of the home’s secured perimeter. Once someone gets inside, the loss can extend from stored equipment to payment cards, vehicles, and access points leading deeper into the property.
The Stolen Vehicle Was Found the Next Day
Members of the Windsor Police Auto Theft Unit launched an investigation and identified one suspect as 42-year-old Christopher Nelson.
On June 24, officers located the stolen vehicle in the 100 block of Oak Street. Police said the vehicle had stolen licence plates attached to it.
Police Arrested One Man Near the Vehicle
As officers prepared to recover the vehicle, a man approached it and was arrested without incident. Police said officers also seized the keys to the stolen vehicle during the arrest.
Andrew Parker, 56, was charged with break and enter and commit, theft of a motor vehicle, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, and possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000.
A Second Suspect Was Arrested Days Later
On June 28, members of the Problem Oriented Policing Unit located Nelson in the 1000 block of Hickory Road.
Nelson was charged with break and enter and commit, theft of a motor vehicle, fraud under $5,000, using a credit card obtained by crime, possession of property obtained by crime, and breach of probation counts. Police said the stolen credit card was later used at several businesses.
An Open Garage Can Create Several Losses at Once
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Windsor police described the entry point as an open garage, rather than a forced door. The report underscores a basic security problem: an unsecured garage can give intruders access to high-value property before they ever have to break a lock.
Residents can check the overhead door before bed, secure the interior door to the house, keep vehicle keys away from the garage area, and record serial numbers for expensive tools that may need to be identified later for police or insurance.