A former football player at Southern Connecticut State University was recently charged after a stealing a number of items from health clubs in the New Haven area. According to police, the man stole multiple items, including cash, jewelry, electronic, and credit cards from locker rooms and parked vehicles between April and July.

The 23-year-old man now faces charges of larceny, identify theft and illegal use of credit cards. He is currently being held on $55,000 bail and- according to his attorney-plans to plead not guilty and seek substance abuse treatment.

Sources said the man was a senior running back at SCSU last year and an offensive player at the Northeast 10 Conference in 2008.

According to court documents, the man was arraigned on Wednesday for 10 counts each of theft of a credit card and sixth degree larceny; five counts each of third-degree identify theft and illegal use of a credit card; and four counts of receiving illegally obtained goods or services. Other charges include larceny in the fourth and fifth degrees, criminal attempt to receive illegally obtained goods or services and criminal attempt to commit sixth-degree larceny.

Larceny, in Connecticut, is any kind of theft crime. It includes shoplifting, stealing a vehicle, purchasing and selling stolen property. What distinguishes larceny from robbery is that there is no force of threat of force in larceny. In Connecticut, there are six degrees of larceny, depending on the value of the item or items stolen. If the stolen property is valued at less than $1,000, the charge will be a misdemeanor, and if it exceeds that amount, it becomes a felony.

Source: Post Chronicle, "Hamden cops charge ex-SCSU football player in thefts from gym lockers, cars," Ann DeMatteo, August 12, 2011.