Middletown Man Accused Of Shoplifting, Displaying Handgun At East Haven Store: Police

MIDDLETOWN, CT — A Middletown man was arrested Friday in connection to a shoplifting incident involving a handgun at an East Haven store earlier this month, according to East Haven police.

In a news release, Police Capt. Joseph Murgo said officers were called to a Home Depot store on Frontage Road around 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 11 after receiving a report of a shoplifting incident that escalated when a man brandished a handgun at a loss prevention employee.

The man, later identified as Daniel Mills, 33, of Middletown, was confronted by the employee after he tried to leave the store with unpaid merchandise, Murgo said.

Mills then displayed a handgun and fled the store in a white work van. No injuries were reported, according to Murgo.

After further investigation, including a review of surveillance footage and transaction records, detectives confirmed Mills' involvement in the incident, Murgo said.

Mills was arrested Friday on charges of first-degree threatening and sixth-degree larceny.

He was held on a $250,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court later this month, according to Murgo.