Pursuit In Greenwich Backcountry Leads To Arrests Of 5 Car Thieves: PD

GREENWICH, CT — Five car theft suspects were arrested early Wednesday morning following a pursuit in the backcountry, according to Greenwich police.

Alex Gutama, 18, of Danbury, along with four boys under the age of 18 — three from Danbury and one from Brookfield — were arrested and charged with larceny of a motor vehicle; conspiracy at larceny of a motor vehicle; and interfering with an investigation, police said. Gutama was also charged with risk of injury.

At approximately 3:30 a.m., Wednesday, police were notified of a car theft that had just occurred on Scott Road in the backcountry area of town, police said in a news release.

A 2018 BMW X1 was seen heading toward the area of North Street and the Merritt Parkway, police said.

"GPD Officers arrived in the area and observed the BMW traveling south on North Street behind a stolen Honda Civic and in front of a stolen Jeep Cherokee," police said. "Upon seeing the patrol vehicles, all three vehicles fled south on North Street and attempted to elude officers by turning down a dead-end street. The vehicles all turned around and attempted to exit back onto North Street."

Officers deployed tire deflation devices, which caused the BMW and Honda to eventually stop a mile away, police said, adding the occupants then fled on foot.

A short time after, the Jeep Cherokee exited the dead-end road and turned south onto North Street, but for an unknown reason, the vehicle sustained damage to its rear axle and right rear tire and it was abandoned on Clapboard Ridge Road, police said.

"A perimeter was established around both scenes, and K-9 units were requested from Stamford, Norwalk, and Westport. A search of both scenes by police K-9s yielded negative results," police said.

The GPD Drone Unit arrived on scene and located four suspects — three minors and Gutama — hiding in the woods on South Stanwich Road, police said, and they were taken into custody without incident.

During a search of the Clapboard Ridge Road scene, police saw a male — later identified as the driver of the Jeep — dressed in all black running in the woods in the area of Taconic Road and North Street, police said. That person was also arrested without incident.

Gutama posted a $25,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Stamford Superior Court on May 22.

The other arrestees were released from custody after being issued juvenile court referrals, police said. They're scheduled to appear at Bridgeport Juvenile Court on May 9.

Just last week, police warned residents about a string of car thefts that occurred during the overnight and early morning hours that specifically targeted BMWs. The department said it would be deploying "extra high-visibility patrols."