John McKenna
Jul 31, 2024
LITCHFIELD — Vehicles at two local homes were rummaged through Tuesday afternoon by suspects who were traveling in an SUV that had been reported stolen in West Hartford.
Both vehicles were unlocked. One was parked at a home on Prospect Street and the other at a home on nearby Sheldon Lane.
“They’re getting more brazen,” Resident Trooper Jim Holm said Wednesday of the daytime criminals. “This typically happens at 2 or 3 a.m.”
All four suspects in the stolen SUV were Black males, Holm said. Two were captured by a surveillance camera walking up the driveway at the Prospect Street home to where the vehicle was parked. Nothing was reported stolen.
The homeowner, two children and a baby sitter were inside the home at the time. After seeing the suspects, the homeowner called 911. Later, at the Sheldon Lane home, three suspects were caught by a surveillance camera checking out three vehicles, two of which were locked, and entering the unlocked one.
Two troopers responding to the 911 call were on North Lake Street as the stolen SUV was leaving Sheldon Lane but were unable to stop the vehicle, Holm said. The troopers followed the vehicle as it traveled up North Lake Street, turned north on Route 63, right on Deming Road, right on Norfolk Road, and left on Route 63 on its way to the center of town.
The SUV turned left on Route 202 and right on Route 118, where it sideswiped another vehicle.
Troopers stopped pursuit at that point, Holm said. “We’re not the only town dealing with this,” he said, noting Harwinton, Torrington and Washington have had similar incidents. Holm advised residents to remove valuables from vehicles and lock them, even during the day.