ADDISON COUNTY — Criminals broke into the building that houses foreign workers at Sunrise Orchards in Cornwall this past Friday and stole passports, among other things.

Owners of the orchard said that the break-in at the North Bingham Street home occurred between 1 and 4 p.m. on Jan. 27.

Residents of the house include six people who prune apple trees at the orchard and work in the nearby apple packing facility. They returned to their home on Friday to find that personal belongs, valuables and passports had been stolen, according to Sunrise Orchards co-owner Christine Hodges.

Anyone who saw cars leaving or entering the property or suspicious activity there, or who has other information on this break-in, is asked to contact Trooper Taylor Demick at the New Haven barracks at  802-388-4919.

The Cornwall orchard wasn’t the only place that saw a theft last week. Troopers are looking into a complaint that man entered the Aubuchon Hardware off Route 7 in Ferrisburgh a few minutes after 2 p.m. on Jan. 26 and took a Honda Generator valued at more than $900. Police said surveillance camera footage shows that the man left the store with the generator and went to a dark-colored Ford sedan. 

State police are requesting anyone with information on the theft contact Trooper Mae Murdock at 802-388-4919 or at [email protected]. Tips can be anonymously reported at vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.

Meanwhile, state police operating out of the New Haven barracks on Jan. 24 announced charges against Tyler Bowles after an investigation that lasted more than a year and a half. Det. Trooper Josh Gurwicz reported that troopers began investigating Tyler Bowles, 32, of Ferrisburgh and St. George, Utah, in June 2021 regarding allegations of sexual assault that took place in 2009 and 2010 in Ferrisburgh. On Jan. 23, 2023, state police sited Bowles for lewd and lascivious conduct with a child and two counts of sexual assault. Bowles is scheduled to answer the charges in Addison County Superior Court, Criminal Division, on March 20.

Finally, on Jan. 27 at a little before 10:30 p.m., troopers responded to a one-car crash near the intersection Route 7 and Campground Road in New Haven. Police say Cavan Drake, 43, of Middlebury was driving a 2010 Toyota Corolla southbound on Route 7 when his car left the southbound lane and struck a snowbank, which caused the car to cross Route 7 and come to rest on the northbound shoulder.

Police cited Drake for driving under the influence and took him to a detox facility.