A Connecticut man has been accused of stealing over $100,000 worth of paintings and artifacts from a home in Cornwall in 2023.
Anthony Buonaiuto, 39, of Torrington was arrested Thursday and charged with third-degree burglary and first-degree larceny in connection with the break-in, according to the Connecticut State Police.
On Sept. 6, 2023, troopers responded to a home in Cornwall to investigate a reported burglary. The homeowner told troopers he not been to the home since Aug. 18, 2023, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. He said had hired two contractors to work on the home while he was in New York, and they alerted him on Sept. 5, 2023, that the rear door to the home had been left open and it appeared that the house had been rummaged through, the warrant affidavit said.
When he arrived the next day, the homeowner claimed that the house had been gone through and many art pieces and antiques were missing, according to the warrant affidavit.
The trooper observed that the house was ransacked, “as books, antique paintings and various other items were scattered everywhere throughout the residence,” the warrant affidavit said.
Woman charged in CT burglary involving missing artifacts, paintings worth more than $50,000
In one bedroom, a large bookcase with glass doors was open with multiple books on the floor, the trooper said. A mirror had been removed from the wall and leaned up against a fireplace, and a dresser and nightstand appeared to have been gone through, according to the warrant affidavit.
On top of the bookcase, the troopers allegedly observed an opened energy drink can, which was seized for evidence, the warrant affidavit said.
As the trooper continued upstairs he noted additional painting and postcards were on the floor along with multiple boxes, according to the warrant affidavit. When the trooper asked the homeowner the estimated value of the items missing, he said approximately $50,000 to $100,000, the warrant affidavit said.
The homeowner made a list for state police, detailing each item that was stolen, including Native American and Asian artifacts, sculptures, paintings, statues, a Mad magazine collection, several electronics and multiple power tools, the warrant affidavit said.
On Sept. 9, 2023, Troop B was contacted by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection who said a ranger at Macedonia State Park in Kent found two Stihl chainsaws in a bathroom near one of the campsites, according to the warrant affidavit.
DEEP confiscated the chainsaws and contacted a certified Stihl dealership who traced the serial numbers on the equipment. One of the chainsaws numbers was allegedly traced to the homeowner, the warrant affidavit said.
A trooper who responded to the park discovered a number of tents near the area where the chainsaws were found. A staff member at the park provided the trooper with the information about the registered guests. A vehicle and two guests, one of whom was Jessica Thompson, were on the site registration, the warrant affidavit said.
Another guest listed at the site told troopers he recently met Thompson and “Anthony” three weeks prior, according to the affidavit. He alleged that “Anthony” did not have a cell phone or vehicle, the warrant affidavit said.
Troopers did a search of Thompson’s social media and found a man who she was in a previous relationship with. When contacted by state police, the man said he recently ended a relationship with Thompson. State police asked him if he knew where she was living and who she would be hanging out with, he stated that she allegedly told him she was camping with his former best friend Anthony Buonaiuto, according to the warrant affid
In December, state police learned that a tribal chest stolen from the home had been put up for auction in the Fairfield Auction. Upon contacting auction organizers, troopers learned that two people were involved in consigning the chest and other items. The organizers identified the two individuals as Buonaiuto and Thompson, the warrant affidavit said.
In her email to the auction owners, Thompson said she had come across the items at an estate sale, the warrant affidavit said. The auction owners said they tried to research Thompson and Buonaiuto involved in consigning the items and were unable to find any red flags.
The tribal chest was removed from the auction before anyone could bid on it. The auction organizers estimated that the seven items they had in their possession had an estimated value of $132,520, according to the warrant affidavit.
In April 2024, state police obtained a search warrant that allowed them to collect a DNA sample from Thompson. Troopers collected her DNA two days later and sent it to the state lab so it could be compared to DNA taken from the energy drink can found in the home.
While collecting the sample, troopers asked Thompson about the chainsaws discovered at the campsite. She told them she had been doing work with someone and that they belonged to that person, the warrant affidavit said. She was unable to provide any information about the individual.
When asked about the tribal chest, Thompson initially said she knew nothing about it before telling state police she had previously given money to someone who was planning on purchasing one in an estate sale, the warrant affidavit said.
Detectives in late May received a report from the state lab indicating Thompson’s DNA was “consistent” with the DNA that was collected from the energy drink can seized at the scene, the warrant affidavit said.
The warrant for Thompson’s arrest was signed by a judge on June 18 and she turned herself in to Troop B on July 16. She was interviewed again about the incident and claimed that sometime in July 2023, she stayed at what she thought was Airbnb with Buonaiuto. Troopers asked Thompson to describe the home and showed her photos, which she confirmed was the house, according to the warrant affidavit.
Descriptions that Thompson provided allegedly matched the description of the living room inside the home. When asked about the tribal chest, Thompson allegedly claimed that she never saw the chest in the house. When confronted that her DNA was allegedly found on a can in the house, she reportedly said “that’s probably what happened then,” the warrant affidavit said. When asked what happened then, she said “He (Buonaiuto) probably had my car and took my car or it was from when we were at the Airbnb apparently,” according to the warrant affidavit said.
Troopers learned that Buonaiuto was being held at Garner Correctional Institute in Newtown. On July 26, troopers went to the prison to talk with Buonaiuto, who opted not to speak and stated that he wanted his lawyers present, the warrant affidavit said.
Troopers applied for, and were granted an arrest warrant for Buonaiuto. Western District Major Crime detectives served Buonaiuto with an active arrest warrant as he was making an appearance at Torrington Super Court on Thursday.
Buonaiuto was assigned a $25,000 bond on the charges and released back into Department of Correction custody after the arrest.
Information from Courant reporter Justin Muszynski was used in this report.
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