Blogs

2 October, 2015 – TWO CHARGED WITH STEALING A CAR AND TRYING TO RUN DOWN A POLICE OFFICER

At about 5:00 PM, a car was reported stolen with the keys from Main Street. An hour later, Officers Marco Correa and Bleck Joseph spotted it parked on Star Street near Winchester Avenue.

The Officers drove past it and positioned their cruiser to block it in. They got out and approached the occupied vehicle. The juvenile behind the wheel didn’t want to stick around and drove toward Officer Joseph, nearly striking him. The car thief struck the police car during their get-away.

The Officers went searching for the car but couldn’t find it. Sometime later, several callers to 911 reported there was a car that’d crashed into a wall and traffic sign at Cold Spring and Canner Streets. It was the car they’d been looking for.

Officers searched the area and found two young men walking on Mitchell Drive near Anderson. Witnesses ID’d them as having fled from the crashed car. The two juveniles (each seventeen) were charged with criminal attempt to commit assault on a Police Officer, auto theft and motor vehicle offences.

2 October, 2015 – FOUR CARS BROKEN INTO AT AMITY PLANET FITNESS

Early-evening break-ins have Police issuing warnings to Planet Fitness patrons.

At about 6:00 PM, the first of four break-ins were reported to Police. All of the cars broken into were parked in the parking lot adjacent to the Planet Fitness Gym, located at 160 Amity Road. One was unlocked and three had their windows broken.

Police have not yet been able to view any potentially helpful video from the area but are hopeful some will soon be available. In one case, a credit card stolen from one car was used at a Target store in North Haven. The thief was able to charge $1,900 on the card before the card company questioned the transactions and notified the victim.

This is not the first time this particular gym’s patrons have been targeted and this is a reoccurring and common crime at gyms and fitness centers across the country. The reason is clear – a distrust of locker-room security leads people to leaving their valuables in their cars.

Experienced thieves can perpetrate such seemingly brazen daylight break-ins in seconds. They’re adept at intruding without making a lot of noise and somehow remain unsuspicious to passers-by.

These lowlifes will case the lot for the ideal targets. Often they’ll watch as people remove their cell phones or wallets and place them above their visor, in the glove compartment or under a seat. The victims think no one is watching but couldn’t be more wrong.

The crime prevention tip regarding such cases is this; Don’t leave valuables in your unattended car and report suspicious people to Police.

2 October, 2015 – ALCOHOL-FUELED DOMESTIC DISPUTE DISCOVERED DURING GUNFIRE INVESTIGATION

At 8:34 PM, Officers were dispatched to Howard Avenue at Second Street to investigate reported gunfire.

A lightbulb beneath the awning at the corner store was apparently shot out. No one was struck.

As Officers investigated, they found a couple embroiled in a domestic dispute. The couple had been outside during the gunfire but at least the female was too drunk to provide any constructive information. The woman was arrested for her involvement in the dispute but was taken to the hospital after complaining she was suffering an asthma attack.

Witnesses reported the gunman was likely an occupant in an older model four-door Honda.

3 October, 2015 – MAN ROBBED OF HIS CREDIT CARDS

Just before midnight, a man was robbed of his wallet containing credit cards. The victim told Police he’d been confronted by two black men at Olive and Chapel Streets. He said they indicated they were armed but never displayed a gun.

He said once the men had his wallet, one punched him in the eye and back of his head.

One of the perps wore a black leather jacket. The other, an orange coat. The cowardly crooks fled southbound on Olive Street.

4 October, 2015 – TWO MEN SHOT DURING ROBBERY

Things didn’t go too well for two Hamden men leaving an illegal “After Hours” spot early Sunday morning.

At 4:26 AM, Officers responded to a reported shooting at 578 George Street. Once there, they learned there were two victims and that each were taken to the St. Raphael’s campus of Yale – New Haven Hospital by private car.

At the hospital, Detectives spoke with the two victims. Forty-one year old Harry Brunson and thirty-seven year old William Hobson, both from Hamden, CT, had suffered non-life threatening injuries.

The men told Detectives they’d left the after-hours club and were heading to Hobson’s car when a group of men ran up to them. They demanded Williams and Brunson hand over their valuables and cash. The victims said they started fighting with the crooks and someone pulled a gun. Brunson was shot in the leg. Hobson’s wound was a graze – also to his leg.

The perpetrators stole the men’s wallets, phones and keys before making their get-away in William’s white Volvo. About an hour later, Officers from the Hamden Police Department recovered the Volvo. It was unoccupied.

The NHPD is looking for two black men who’s ages weren’t estimated. One stood 6’02” and wore a dark colored hooded-sweatshirt. He had a gun. His partner in crime was shorter – about 5’10”. He wore a beige T-shirt. The men face charges including first degree assault, robbery and reckless endangerment.