Darien PD Investigates Attempted Vehicle Theft From Gas Station

DARIEN, CT — A Chevrolet Tahoe was nearly stolen from a gas station in Darien on Jan. 13 after the driver exited the running SUV, but the would-be thief could not drive it away, according to Darien police.

The attempted theft occurred at about 4:30 p.m. at the Mobil station in the 200 block of the Post Road.

A clerk called police after seeing someone get out of a black Subaru Legacy and get behind the wheel of the empty, unlocked but running Tahoe.

"After a short time, the suspect exited the vehicle, returning to the black Subaru, at which time he drove off of the property," said Darien police in a statement. "A review of the station's security cameras shows the black Subaru, with multiple occupants, parked in the lot appearing to watch customers at the gas pumps. One of the individuals exits the Subaru, enters the customer's vehicle (a Chevrolet Tahoe) and appears to try and move the vehicle as the brake lights are seen going on and off. The suspect appears to realize that the vehicle cannot be moved, and returns to the Subaru which subsequently pulls out of the lot."

Turns out that while the owner of the Tahoe left it running, he had the key fob with him so the vehicle could not be driven.

The Subaru that the suspect exited had been reported stolen out of Bridgeport, Darien police said, and it had been involved in a separate stolen vehicle case from the northbound I-95 rest stop in Darien.