CLINTON, CT — A group of bungling young car thieves tried to flee police this morning — by pulling directly into their parking lot.
The incident started around 4 a.m. Wednesday, when police responded to suspicious activity in the Sols Point Road area.
A vehicle had been stolen, and in an effort to stop it, an officer deployed Stop Sticks to disable a tire, police said.
"In an unexpected turn of events, the vehicle continued down East Main Street and pulled directly into the rear parking lot of Clinton Police Headquarters!" police said.
Undeterred by their blunder, the five juvenile occupants continued trying to elude police. They abandoned the disabled vehicle and fled on foot into the surrounding neighborhood and wooded areas, according to police.
"That's when teamwork and technology came together!" police said.
Police established a perimeter, and they enlisted help from state police, Madison police, and Clinton Fire Department's Drone Unit.
A patrol officer quickly found and apprehended one of the juveniles.
Corporal Jason Frey and K-9 Monte tracked the remaining four suspects into thick brush behind police headquarters. Police also used a drone for their search. All four remaining suspects then surrendered and were taken into custody without incident, police said.
The stolen vehicle was recovered and no one was injured. Police did not release the suspects' names due to their ages.
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