Southington Police: Motorcycle Thieves Caught After Riding Past Bike Owner

SOUTHINGTON, CT - Motorcycle thieves picked the wrong person to ride past after taking a pair of bikes over the weekend, police said.

That would be their owner.

On Saturday at about 9 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of Flanders Road near Tallwood Drive after a caller indicated two motorcycles had been stolen the day before.

The bikes were recovered and, based on the investigation, Andre Uhelsky, 18, of Waterbury and Matthew Garuti, 23, of Southington were taken into custody without incident, police said.

Both were charged with third-degree larceny, police said.

Garuti posted a $25,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Bristol Superior Court on June 6, police said. Uhelsky was unable to post bond and was to appear in court on Tuesday, police said.

On Saturday, the owner of the motorcycles was walking in the area when he was passed by one of his stolen motorcycles, which was being operated by Garuti with Uhelsky as a rear passenger, police said in a news release.

As the owner continued to walk, he came across Garuti and Uhelsky attempting to start a second motorcycle, which he identified as the second of his two stolen motorcycles, police said.

The owner approached Garuti and Uhelsky, but Garuti said he did not know the motorcycles were stolen and he was only helping to "pick them up," according to a news release.

Uhelsky said he purchased them for $2,000 from an "unknown person," according to police. At that point, officers arrived at the scene.

The owner reported that one 150cc motorcycle was worth about $1,500 and another was valued at about $750, police said.