Somerville Man Arrested in Connection with Stoneham Car Breaks After Victim Chases Him Down

A Somerville man was arrested Wednesday morning in connection with a string of car breaks and thefts in Stoneham after he allegedly broke into a car on Pond Street at about 4:20 a.m. and was chased down and held by the victim.

The victim held the suspect on the ground, while his girlfriend called police, according to police.

Police then arrived and arrested 21-year-old Victor Perez and charged him with breaking and entering at night to commit a felony.

Police allegedly found over $60 in loose change on Perez, as well as a number of other items that did not belong to him. Perez told police he had been visiting his girlfriend, police said.

Within the hour, police stopped an Infiniti G20 that had run a red light.

Police initially arrested the driver, 23-year-old Miguel Natal, of Dorchester, and charged him with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and failure to stop at a red light.

Later, after the vehicle was reported stolen out of Somerville, police charged Natal with three counts of receiving stolen property and receiving a stolen motor vehicle. Natal had multiple GPS devices, bank cards, designer sunglasses, cell phone chargers and a variety of other items in the vehicle, according to police.

Natal told police he was in Stoneham to drop off his friend at his girlfriend’s house. However, Natal and Perez claimed not to know each other when questioned by police, police said.

“Two alleged thieves are off the street today, and the Stoneham Police Department has sent a clear message to criminals: You will not find the Town of Stoneham to be a soft target,” Stoneham Police Chief James McIntyre said in a statement. “Our officers will aggressively pursue you, and you will be prosecuted to the fullest extend of the law.”

Police said the case remains under investigation, and they are working to return the property to its owners.