Ex-Employee Arrested In Theft From Darien's Woodway Country Club

DARIEN, CT — A 26-year-old Stamford man was arrested on a warrant this week in connection with a December break-in at Darien's Woodway Country Club, in which paychecks and Amazon gift cards meant for employees were reported stolen, according to authorities.

Samuel Melo, of Perry Street, is a former employee of the club, and he was charged with third-degree burglary, third-degree larceny, third-degree identity theft, and conspiracy.

Melo is accused of breaking into the office at the Hoyt Street country club sometime between Dec. 11 and 12 and stealing paychecks and gift cards. He later cashed some checks, Darien police said.

"Investigators in this case were able to obtain video footage of the suspect, later identified as Samuel Melo, on the premises of Woodway Country Club the night of the burglary as well as of him cashing the checks that had been stolen in this case," Darien police said.

The amount of the stolen checks were not disclosed. As a former employee of the club, Melo would have known where the paychecks were stored, police added.

Melo surrendered to police on March 22 and was released after posting bond on bail of $20,000. He is scheduled to appear in Stamford Superior Court on April 22.