By JOSEPH B. NADEAU

WOONSOCKET — The area’s recent heavy snowfall may have helped police get their man on Thursday.
Wilfredo N. Andino Jr., 25, of 18 Landry St., was charged with attempted breaking and entering after police responded to an incident at the Quick Mart on Elm Street at 6:21 a.m. and subsequently followed tracks left in the snow to locate him at a nearby apartment building, according to police.

The suspect had been seen attempting to enter the store from several side and rear windows and doors and fled when an owner living upstairs spotted him and yelled out a window, police said.
Police said the trail of footprints in the snow led responding officers to an apartment building at 162 Cote Ave. where Patrolmen Michael Villard, Justin A. Glode and Patrick T. McGourty found Andino sitting on the stairs between the first and second floors of the building, police said.
As the police officers approached the suspect, Andino allegedly stood up and began to fight with them in the narrow, confined space.
McGourty sprayed the suspect with a burst of pepper spray which appeared to have no affect on Andino, police said.
The suspect struck his head on a corner pillar on the stairs in the struggle, police said, and was subsequently subdued and placed in handcuffs.
Andino was found to be wearing tan leather work boots matching the description of the suspect in the attempted break, police said.
Andino was subsequently identified as the alleged suspect in the attempted break and taken to the police station for decontamination of the pepper spray. He was also transported to Landmark Medical Center for treatment of a small laceration sustained in the struggle and returned to the station, police said.
The suspect was alleged to have climbed up on a trash can while to trying to pry boards from a window during his attempt to gain entry into the store, police said.
Police said Andino was found to be carrying tools believed used in the attempted break and was charged with possession of burglary tools as an added offense.
Police charged Andino with resisting arrest in connection with the incident on the stairs, and also found him to be wanted on an outstanding warrant. He was processed on the charges at the station and held pending arraignment in District Court, Providence.