DEERFIELD — Two suspects from Greenfield are in custody at the Franklin County Jail and House of Correction after they allegedly broke into the Magic Wings butterfly conservatory and later attempted to steal a cash box from the farmstand at Galenski Farm.
According to Police Chief John Paciorek Jr., Michael Burek, 37, and Cayla Plasse, 33, are being charged with breaking and entering into a building in the nighttime with the intent to commit a felony, larceny from a building, attempted larceny and vandalizing property.
Deerfield Police were notified of a breaking and entering at Magic Wings, located on Greenfield Road (Routes 5 and 10) at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 14. Paciorek wrote in an email that his agency was also notified shortly thereafter of an attempted larceny from the Galenski Farm cash box at the farmstand on North Main Street.
Sgt. Brian Ravish and Officer Marissa Smith reviewed video camera footage from both locations, and in collaboration with the Greenfield Police Department, identified the suspects. According to Paciorek, Greenfield District Court later issued warrants for the suspects’ arrests on Monday, Aug. 18, and the two were arrested later that evening.
According to a police report written by Smith, Burek, when confronted by police, initially denied any involvement in the breaking and entering. When police presented him with security camera footage from Magic Wings, however, he admitted that he was, in fact, involved. Smith’s report states that, between change from the cash registers and money that had been in a donation box to support a local animal in need, Burek and Plasse left Magic Wings with roughly $33.
“Mr. Burek stated that [he and Plasse] were staying in Deerfield walking home from the Red Roof Inn and [were] feeling thirsty and hungry. He stated that he ‘went in, got a bottle of … ginger ale and that’s about it,” Smith’s report reads. “When asked about the register, Mr. Burek stated, ‘We didn’t get nothing out of it bro, I swear. We tried, but nothing.'”
Plasse, according to Smith’s report, told police that Burek is her boyfriend and that she was unable to confirm or deny her involvement because she couldn’t remember much of the night of the alleged break-in due to the Valium she had taken.
“I explained that we had her on video trying to break into the farmstand and she stated that she did not remember,” Smith wrote in her report. “[Plasse] was not denying it and it could have happened, but she took a lot of Valium.”
Burek and Plasse were arraigned in Greenfield District Court on Tuesday, Aug. 19.
“Thanks again to the assistance of the Greenfield Police Department, both subjects were taken into custody within hours of the warrants being issued, prior to any additional opportunities to victimize,” Paciorek wrote.
Kathy Fiori, who owns Magic Wings with her brother, George Miller III, said the break-in did not affect the hours of the conservatory on Thursday, Aug. 14, but the gift shop was closed to customers until 1 p.m. as police investigated.
Fiori said the break-in triggered feelings of sadness, anger and violation.
“Even though there wasn’t a hit financially, there definitely was a hit to us emotionally,” Fiori said. “It just seems like such an unlikely place; if you think you’re going to make a big score somewhere, this wasn’t the place, just like the kids’ farmstand down the road.”
She added, “We are just so grateful to be in business and enjoying all of our visitors who come see us, and we’re not going to let a few bad apples spoil that.”
Galenski Farm declined to comment.