DNA Evidence Matches City Man to CVS Burglary

A Bethlehem man has been charged in a 20-month old burglary of the CVS drug store on W. Fourth Street, according to court papers.

Police found a DNA match between a blood sample found at the scene where a window had been broken to gain entry to the store and a sample taken from Jose Enrique Rentas-Torres, 43, of 447 Pawnee St., Bethlehem, now the suspect, according to an arrest affidavit. State police crime lab results took until March to be completed.

The burglary took place Oct. 13, 2009, between midnight and 7 a.m., at the CVS at 305 W. Fourth St. Taken were three iPods and six cartons of cigarettes, a total of $520 worth of items, according to the warrant.

Rentas-Torres was taken into custody over the weekend and charged with burglary, criminal trespass, theft and receiving stolen property. He was committed to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $30,000 bail, following an arraignment in front of District Judge Patricia Romig-Passaro.