Cops corral Concord man as North Shore serial burglar

From the Staten Island Adance By Frank Donnelly:

A Concord man has admitted to committing a string of North Shore burglaries in which he swiped thousands of dollars' worth of jewelry, computers, cash, cameras and electronics, authorities allege.

Over the course of six weeks starting June 7, Paul Bray, 33, broke into seven homes in New Brighton, Tompkinsville and Stapleton. His last heists occurred Sunday, when Bray allegedly burglarized two homes on the 100 block of Prospect Avenue, New Brighton.

In each case, the defendant, who lives on the 900 block of Targee Street, entered through a window, a law-enforcement source said. Most of the incidents occurred at night or in the early morning.

The source said Bray does not appear to be linked to a series of high-profile break-ins that has plagued Todt Hill, Emerson Hill, Grymes Hill, Concord and Arrochar over the past year.

Bray was nabbed Tuesday when eagle-eyed officers spotted him on Brighton Avenue. At the time, he was wanted for a Bronx burglary and suspected of break-ins on Staten Island, the source said.

Bray fled when cops approached and officers pursued him a few blocks to Trumbull Place.

During a confrontation, the defendant shoved a detective to the ground, fracturing his elbow, before being subdued, court papers said.

He was charged in that incident with a felony count of second-degree assault along with misdemeanor counts of assault and resisting arrest, said a spokesman for District Attorney Daniel Donovan. He also was accused of harassment and disorderly conduct, both violations.

After his arrest, cops accused Bray of burglarizing a Tottenville home on July 9 and stealing a cell phone and watches. A palm print found on a window sill of the residence on the 100 block of Johnson Avenue allegedly matched the defendant's, said the source.

While in custody, Bray admitted to pulling off the North Shore break-ins, the source said, adding that his fingerprints were found at two of those homes.

Besides Prospect Avenue, Bray struck the 100 and 200 blocks of Brighton Avenue, New Brighton, on June 7 and 29, respectively, court papers said.

On July 12, he hit a home on Trumbull Place, New Brighton, then three days later, burglarized a residence on Tompkins Circle, Tompkinsville. On July 18, he allegedly broke into a house on Trossach Road, Stapleton.

The Stapleton heist was the biggest, netting Bray about $8,000 in jewelry, a laptop computer, camera and a cell phone, said the source.

The defendant also pinched iPods, a TV and cigarettes in the spree.

Bray was charged with eight counts of second-degree burglary, along with misdemeanor counts of criminal mischief and petit larceny covering all the break-ins.