Juvenile Arrested In String Of Thefts In Wallingford: Police

WALLINGFORD, CT — A juvenile has been arrested in connection with a string of thefts Wednesday morning in Wallingford, according to police.

The three incidents all took place within an hour and included a purse-snatching, and an attempted purse-snatching in which the victim was dragged about 20 feet by the occupants of a stolen vehicle, according to police.

The first incident took place around 10:24 a.m. when Wallingford police responded to 51 South Whittlesey Avenue on the report of three juvenile males wearing dark clothing working together trying to steal cars in the driveway/parking lot, according to Sgt. Stephen Jaques. They were operating out of a silver Hyundai sedan with a driver and damaged one vehicle in the process, Jaques said.

Then at 10:28 a.m., police responded to Sunoco at 315 North Colony Road for a reported purse theft from an unoccupied vehicle involving three juvenile males wearing masks operating a silver Hyundai sedan, according to Jaques.

Jaques said the suspect got away with the victim’s purse that contained numerous items.

At 11:20 a.m., police responded to a reported purse theft from an unoccupied vehicle at Pit Stop Gas Station at 66 Woodhouse Avenue, according to Jaques.

Officers found that a silver Hyundai sedan occupied by three juvenile males wearing dark clothing and masks tried to steal a victim’s purse from their car, dragged the victim approximately 20 feet, and fled the scene, according to Jaques.

Jaques said the attempted theft wasn’t successful and the victim wasn’t injured.

“In all three cases, the suspect descriptions and suspect vehicle were the same,” Jaques wrote in a news release. “The silver Hyundai was determined to be stolen out of New Haven prior to the thefts. The silver Hyundai was used to steal another vehicle (a red Ford Edge) in North Haven after the events that occurred in Wallingford. With assistance from Wallingford Police Officer Peckham, who is assigned to the Connecticut State Police Violent Crimes Task Force, members of the task force located and tracked both stolen vehicles to Edwards Street and Read Street in New Haven.

“Upon locating the Hyundai, stop sticks were utilized to prevent the vehicle from escaping. The suspect fled from officers on foot but was quickly apprehended. One male juvenile who was determined to be the sole occupant/operator of the stolen Hyundai was placed under arrest. The Ford Edge fled upon being located, but was found nearby unoccupied.”

The juvenile was charged with larceny of a motor vehicle, interfering with an officer, criminal attempt at larceny of a motor vehicle, third-degree burglary, sixth-degree larceny, criminal attempt at third-degree burglary, criminal attempt at sixth-degree larceny, and reckless endangerment. He was issued a juvenile summons with a court date of Thursday morning at Superior Court Juvenile Matters in New Haven, according to Jaques.