Teen Who Fled Milford Detention Center Found In Stolen Car

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Southington police recovered a stolen car and stolen gun after a pursuit that ended at a mall in Meriden and in the vehicle was a teen who fled a Milford detention center, an arrest report indicates.

On Sunday, members of the Southington Auto Theft Task Force were alerted by a fellow officer to a black Audi wagon — not yet reported stolen — containing "multiple masked individuals" on the roads of Southington, according to an arrest report.

Another occupant of the car was unmasked and the officer recognized the juvenile as "a known car thief," police said.

The same vehicle had been seen on Meriden Waterbury Turnpike with its occupants exiting and pulling on door handles, a report indicates. Similar activity was reported at other locations throughout town, police said.

The suspects left a trail of discarded items reported stolen from surrounding towns, police said.

The task force contacted the Audi's owner, who confirmed it had had been stolen overnight. Police said they discovered the car has been associated with multiple larcenies in Southington and was traveling toward Meriden.

The task force was able to locate the Audi, parked at the Meriden mall, and notified Meriden police.

Prior to Meriden police arriving, task force officers saw three males walking toward the Audi carrying shopping bags. They detained them and located a handgun in the sweatshirt pocket of one of the men, 20-year-old Garrett Gibbs, according to an arrest report.

The gun, described by police as a Keltec .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun, had been reported stolen from a vehicle's glove box in July, according to an arrest report.

With the assistance of Meriden police, officers checked the identity of the three and concluded the 16-year-old, believed to be the driver, was reported missing by both the Milford Police Department and Connecticut State Police, after having escaped a juvenile detention center on Sept. 18, police said.

The third male, age 18, was not in possession of any contraband and had no identifiable history, according to a report. Police said he was identified and released.

A search of the Audi uncovered purses, wallets, handbags and key fobs, along with "other valuable and sensitive personal stolen items," taken from unlocked vehicles across the state, according to a report.

The items the trio purchased at the Meriden mall had been paid for with cash, police said.

Garrett was found with $736 in cash and the Juvenile had $2,063 on him, police said.

Both Garrett and the 16-year-old were transported to Southington police headquarters. The teen was issued a juvenile summons charging him with first-degree larceny by possession. He was turned over to CSP and transported to Bridgeport Juvenile Detention.

Garrett was charged with first-degree larceny by possession and carrying a pistol without a permit.