Andrew Oreckinto, 52, faces 10 years in prison
NEW HAVEN, Ct. -- A Matawan man with a history of committing commercial burglaries in the region was convicted Monday of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of cigarettes from a Connecticut warehouse five years ago, U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly said in a statement.
Andrew Oreckinto, 52, faces up to 10 years in prison on a charge of theft from an interstate shipment when he's sentenced in May.
Oreckinto broke into New Britain Candy in Wethersfield in March 2011 after a glue-like substance had been forced into a door lock. Wires to an exterior surveillance camera and a phone line had also been cut.
Authorities later determined that Oreckinto made off with 8,012 cartons of cigarettes, with a wholesale value of $300,000, as well as a pallet jack. He also stole a box truck in Hartford the day before the burglary which was later found at a Hartford construction site with the pallet jack inside.
Investigators tracked down Oreckinto via surveillance footage showing him dressed in black and wearing a headband light. Authorities also checked cell phone tower information and prepaid phone usage to link Oreckinto to commercial burglaries elsewhere in Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Oreckinto had previously been convicted of other burglaries, including the theft of $100,000 worth of copper from a Florham Park warehouse in April 2008.
Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.