5 Juveniles Charged In East Lyme Attempted Car Break-Ins: Police

EAST LYME, CT — Five juveniles are facing charges related to attempted vehicle break-ins in East Lyme, according to police. An officer suffered minor injuries in the incident when a previously stolen car struck struck his vehicle.

Police received a call at 4:25 a.m. Wednesday reporting that several people wearing ski masks were attempting to break into a vehicle on Faulkner Drive in Niantic.

A resident interrupted the break in, and the group fled in a vehicle onto Fairhaven Road.

When the driver spotted a police officer, they put the car into reverse, striking the front of another responding police cruiser. The people in the car then fled into the woods behind homes on Fairhaven Drive.

A search was conducted by East Lyme police, K9 “Dom,” state police K9 Unit, and Waterford police. Police found five people who were taken into custody.

The car they were driving had been previously reported stolen out of Westbrook. One of the juveniles had an active remand to custody warrant for previous criminal activity and was turned over to juvenile probation in Bridgeport, according to police.

An East Lyme police officer suffered a minor back injury during the investigation, and one of the juveniles suffered a minor foot injury as a result of fleeing into the woods.

The juvenile was transported to the Lawrence & Memorial Hospital for evaluation of his injury.

East Lyme officers are also working with other shoreline police departments to determine any involvement the vehicle may have had in other criminal activity.

All five juveniles were charged with first-degree larceny by possession, conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny, criminal attempt at third-degree burglary, and conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary. The juveniles are ages 14 to 17 and from Seymour, West Haven, and New Haven.

The juvenile from Seymour was also charged with third-degree assault.