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Bronx resident Latonia Shelecia Stewart has been charged for her role in a series of residential burglaries of homes in Westchester, Fairfield and Putnam counties between the fall of 2017 and spring 2018.
Stewart has been charged with:
- Six counts of Burglary in the Second Degree, a class C felony;
- Five counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony;
- One count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a class E felony;
- One count of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, a class D felony;
- One count of Petit Larceny, a misdemeanor;
- Four counts of Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree, a misdemeanor;
- One count of Possession of Burglar’s tools, a misdemeanor;
- Three motor vehicle violations.
The indictment alleges that Stewart burglarized homes of people who were out of the house to attend their spouse’s wake or funeral service. Stewart allegedly looked up obituaries online and targeted the homes of individuals she thought wouldn’t be home.
Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino, Jr., said that when people returned home from the services, they found jewelry and other property stolen. At some of the residences, it is alleged that Stewart broke windows and glass doors to use a mallet that was located under the seat of her car when she was arrested in Greenburgh.
Burglaries were reported in Rye Brook, Cortlandt, Scarsdale, Irvington, Ossining and Tarrytown in Westchester, Greenwich in Fairfield County, and Carmel in Putnam County.
On May 1 last year, Greenburgh police investigators surveilling Stewart spotted her driving away from the home of a recently deceased person, stopping her on the Sprain Brook Parkway.
According to Scarpino, inside the car, they found jewelry in plain sight, and she had an obituary on her cellphone. At the time of the stop, Stewart’s baby was in the car and a later search of the vehicle found more stolen items and burglary tools.
Stewart is scheduled to appear back in court on Tuesday, Aug. 13 to respond to the charges.
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