2 of 3 Stolen Shriners' Cars Found

Days after three Shriners' mini-Jeep-like vehicles disappeared from Sphinx Shriners Motor Patrol of Newington, police have found two of them and arrested the owner of a pawn shop in Hartford where they were located.

Edwin Valentine, 48, was charged with selling stolen goods from The Tag Sale Store, located at 129 Zion St. in Hartford, and the case has been continued to Oct. 9.

This is the third time police have arrested Valentin, who they said continues to operate an illegal pawn shop.

In February and June of this year, he was charged with violating legislation regulating licensure and record-keeping for pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers.

In April, he was charged with larceny in the fifth degree, according to court records.

Police raided the shop on Tuesday and said they found dozens of stolen items in addition to the Shriners cars. 

The Shriners said someone broke into the Sphinx Shriners Motor Patrol of Newington’s car transport trailer and took the handmade vehicles between Tuesday evening and Thursday afternoon.

The cars are registered in the state and have Connecticut license plates.

One of the cars still has not been found.

The Sphinx Shriners is the local chapter of Shriners International, whose 22 hospitals and burn centers throughout the United States care for children with orthopedic disorders, cleft palate and burns.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Newington Police Investigative Division at (860) 666-8445.
 

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