Police Find Stolen Car, Firearm During Arrest At Trumbull Mall: PD

TRUMBULL, CT — Officers found a stolen car with a loaded firearm inside parked at the Westfield Trumbull mall after arresting a man and a woman accused of shoplifting Thursday afternoon, according to police.

In a news release, Police Lt. Brian Weir said officers located Dereck Ramirez, 21, of Bridgeport, and Gabrielle Collazo, 23, of Greenwich, inside the mall after employees of a Champs store reported the pair had purchased items using a credit card later determined to be stolen from Norwalk.

While questioning the pair, police found they had purchased items at various stores throughout the mall. Officers recovered over $1,200 worth of stolen merchandise from the pair, as well as several more stolen credit cards, Weir said.

The pair's vehicle, a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Lared, had also been reported stolen from Stamford earlier that week, according to Weir. Inside, officers found a loaded handgun with an extended high-capacity magazine that had been reported stolen from Florida in 2019, Weir said.

Ramirez, who was on parole as a result of a previous arrest, was charged with second-degree larceny, fourth-degree larceny, credit card theft, interfering with an officer, criminal possession of a pistol, theft of a firearm, weapon in a motor vehicle and possession of a high-capacity magazine. He was detained on a $250,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court later this month, according to Weir.

Collazo was charged with second-degree larceny, fourth-degree larceny, credit card theft and interfering with an officer. She was detained on a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court later this month, according to Weir.