Cigarette Theft Led to Wild Police Scene in Wethersfield

GLASTONBURY/WETHERSFIELD, CT — A wild police scene in Wethersfield on Wednesday began with the theft of cigarettes in Glastonbury, an arrest report indicates.

Ryan Burton, 32, of Wethersfield, was charged Thursday with sixth-degree larceny in Glastonbyry after all the hub-bub.

Walgreens staff members reported the theft at 8:48 a.m. and advised Wethersfield cops that Burton was a suspect, according to a report.

Police said that, at 1:48 p.m. an officer from Wethersfield briefly pursued a vehicle south on Maple Street — Burton's white Chevrolet S10 pickup truck.

The Wethersfield officer pursued the truck until the area of Maple Sand Mill streets, but he had to abandon the pursuit and shut off his lights and siren, police said.

The truck continued on Mill Street eastbound from Maple Street and crashed into two vehicles at the intersection of Mill Street and Silas Deane Highway, police said. Burton tried to go through a red light, police said.
Burton ran away into a wooded area behind a business on the east side of Silas Deane, police said. After a few minutes, Burton was located a wooded area behind the former Fun Zone. He was taken into custody without further incident, police said.

Burton was charged in Wethersfield with:

• Interfering with an officer
• Disobeying the signal of an officer
• Evading responsibility
• Reckless driving
• No Insurance on a vehicle
• Possession of drug paraphernalia

It was the second wild incident involving a suspected shoplifter in Wethersfield since Friday. That day, while trying to get home to have lunch with his wife, Police Chief James Cetran saw the suspect, stopped him and after seemingly being hit in the face while trying to question the suspect, wrestled him to the ground.

It was all captured in the dash came in Cetran's unmarked cruiser. See the video here.
Photo Credit: WPD