WILTON – Police charged two men Thursday in connection with an attempted burglary last month at a Main Street variety store. The men are accused of breaking windows, cutting a 220-volt power line and damaging a refrigeration compressor at E & N Variety.

Robert Bowden, 28, and Robert Decker, 28, both of Wilton, were charged with felony attempted burglary, burglary of a motor vehicle and aggravated criminal mischief, Wilton police Officer Ed Leahy said.

Bowden was arrested earlier and charged with breaking into the Wilton Police Station, stealing a 2003 police cruiser and wrecking it. He was charged at the Franklin County Jail, where he has been held on charges related to the cruiser theft, Leahy said.

Officer Terry Warren went to a School Street residence Thursday and found Decker hiding at his sister’s house, Leahy said. Warren was checking on Decker for a probation violation, he said.

Decker was arrested and taken to jail, Leahy said.

Bowden and Decker are related by marriage, Leahy said.

The two are alleged to have gone to the store in early July looking for more beer, Leahy said.

An employee arrived at the store about 3 a.m. and saw some windows smashed out and noticed two men walking around the building, Leahy said.

A rock had been thrown through one window, and another window and a door window were broken, Leahy said.

A knife was used to cut a 220-volt power line at the back of the building that the men thought was an alarm, Leahy said.

Police recovered a scorched 8-inch knife that had been used to cut the line, Leahy said.

The suspects also tried to break the copper tubing to propane tanks and damaged a compressor for the refrigeration unit, he said.

Repairs, and a new compressor for the refrigeration unit, cost more than $3,000, the officer said.

The men also allegedly broke into a truck in the store’s lot and stole a Sawzall, Leahy said.

Police got a break in the case when Warren questioned Bowden in relation to the cruiser theft Tuesday and he confessed to both crimes, Leahy said.