Norwich Man Burglarized Smoke Shop In Meriden: Police

MERIDEN, CT — A Norwich man is accused of burglarizing a smoke shop in Meriden on Tuesday night, according to police.

Police responded around 10 p.m. on June 18 to the LVL Up Smoke Shop at 680 North Colony Road for a reported burglar alarm sounding, according to Lt. Darrin McKay.

Officer Ethan Busa was the first to arrive and determined that a man was inside the business, which was closed at the, according to McKay.

McKay said Busa waited outside for additional backup officers and the man exited out the front door. The man saw Busa, who identified himself as an officer and ordered the suspect not to move, however, he ran away, according to McKay.

McKay said the suspect was in possession of a large garbage container and the business’s cash register, both of which he dropped before running away.

Police later found that the suspect entered the business by breaking through the ceiling of the building, according to McKay.

“Officer Busa gave chase on foot; however, he lost sight of the male in the woods to the rear of the building at which time additional officers arrived and began to establish a perimeter,” McKay wrote in a news release. “Officer Martino arrived with his K9 partner Nicole and began a track for the suspect. As the track was occurring, detectives in an unmarked vehicle were following a white BMW that was circling in a suspicious manner in the area of the police perimeter.

“Detectives believed the operator, whom they could see was on her cell phone, was there looking to pick up the burglary suspect. The BMW would end up pulling into a nearby driveway to a residence at which time police personnel would confront her. The female driver claimed to have no knowledge of the burglary; however, the suspect was then observed in the wood line of that home and upon seeing the police, he proceeded to run back into the woods.”

The suspect, later identified as Williams Maaseiyh, was then apprehended and taken into custody, according to McKay.

McKay said investigation found that the woman, who had previously been involved in a relationship with Maaseiyh, was there to pick him up as he had contacted her via cell phone. The woman was identified as Latazia Cluff, according to McKay.

Maaseiyh was found to be in possession of brass knuckles that also opened up into a knife, according to McKay.

Maaseiyh, 28, was arrested and charged with carrying a dangerous weapon, first-degree burglary, interfering with a police officer, fourth-degree larceny, and first-degree criminal mischief. He was held in lieu of a $100,000 bond.

McKay said Maaseiyah also had two outstanding warrants out of New London with bonds totaling $1.25 million. One warrant’s original charges were first-degree assault and other firearms charges that had a S1 million bond, according to McKay. The second’s original charges were burglary, larceny, and criminal mischief that had a $250,000 bond.

Cluff, 28, of New London, was arrested and charged with interfering with a police officer. She was held in lieu of a $10,000 bond.