Police have apprehended a New York man, linked to a spate of golf club thefts in Connecticut and New York. According to NBC New York, the individual identified as 41-year-old Matthew Berman from the Bronx is suspected of stealing approximately $23,000 worth of golf clubs from a store in Norwalk, and several thousand more from the Longshore Golf Club in Westport.
Westport police made the arrest following Berman's earlier arrest in New York where he was suspected in burglaries of similar nature. The total value of the items reported stolen from the Westport pro shop was $12,498.70. Westport authorities, who obtained a warrant charged Berman with burglary in the third degree, criminal mischief in the second degree, and larceny in the second degree, when he turned himself in on Aug. 21.
Patch reports that Police Sgt. Ryan Evarts confirmed the theft from the Connecticut Avenue golf shop, which triggered the investigation. Cooperation from New York State Police was pivotal in identifying Berman as a suspect, after which he was charged with first-degree burglary, first-degree larceny, and second-degree criminal mischief.
Further complicating Berman's legal challenges, Norwalk police have connected him to a series of commercial burglaries across the New York area, resulting in the loss of high-value golf equipment. He purportedly targeted golf equipment retailers, making off with thousands of dollars' worth of merchandise. Berman's bond is set at $200,000, and his court appearance is scheduled for the following month.
