ELLENVILLE – Members of the Ellenville Police Department have made significant progress in a recent string of burglaries, and have reported the arrest of two out of the three suspects believed to be responsible for the break-ins that have plagued the village over the last several weeks.

Last Friday, two men were arrested as they attempted to break in to Super Seven Grocery Store on Center Street at about 1:10 p.m., according to Ellenville Police Chief Phil Mattracion (the store had been closed for some unknown reason). The individuals arrested are Iqwan Mandiville, 16, of Ellenville, and Richard W. Torres, 17, the latter of whom, Chief Mattracion said, is "currently on probation from previous burglaries involving businesses in the Village of Ellenville about four to five months ago." He had been sentenced to five months probation after his arrest last year.

In addition to these two arrests, Mattracion said that there was a third suspect implicated in the break-ins who has fled the state, and for whom a warrant has been issued. Mattracion could not release the suspect's name as of press time.

Mandiville was charged with three counts of burglary in the third degree, one count of attempted burglary in the second degree, one count of criminal mischief in the second degree, and one count of criminal mischief in the third degree. Torres was only charged with one count of attempted burglary in the second degree — that of the attempted break-in at the Super Seven. It is also likely that the third suspect, along with Mandiville, will be charged for the previous break-ins which occurred at Maggi's Country Store and Café on the corner of Canal and Market Streets, as well as Hair Encounter and the European Deli on Route 209, all of which occurred during the wee hours of the morning on Thursday, April 30. There was also an attempted break-in at D'Lites Ice Cream in the early morning of Monday, May 11.

Mattracion said that the modus operandi of the attempted burglary at Super Seven Grocery Store was the same as those at the previous burglaries and attempted burglary. Mandiville and Torres were caught trying to break in the door and open the window from the back.

"We had received information that they were in the process of doing this, and subsequently they were caught while they were trying to leave the back of the building," said Chief Mattracion.

"The investigation was conducted jointly with the state police in Ellenville, and we are confident at this point that we have identified all individuals responsible for committing the rash of burglaries," he continued.

All of the charges are felonies, and Mattracion estimated that they carried possible sentences of four to seven years in prison. The two who were arrested have been arraigned before Town Justice Charles Dechon. Bail was set at $10,000.

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