meriden

3 Minors Accused of Stealing Car in Wallingford, Snatching Purses in Nearby Towns

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Police have arrested three minors who are accused of stealing a car in Wallingford and using it to commit multiple purse snatchings in the area.

Officers said a blue Toyota Prius was stolen from Cumberland Farms in Wallingford on Monday around 2 p.m.

According to investigators, the vehicle was then used in several robberies throughout the state in the next few hours in Hamden, New Haven, Wallingford and Meriden.

Wallingford Police said they were called to Walmart on North Colony Road at about 1:35 p.m. A person reported seeing a silver vehicle driving erratically in the area.

Authorities were also notified that a person had been struck by a car in the parking lot. Officers learned that during an attempted purse snatching, a woman fell to the ground and the suspects accelerated while trying to take her purse.

As police were investigating that incident, officers were notified of another incident where a woman was struck by a car in the ShopRite parking lot. Responding officers said another purse snatching happened.

Not long after, police were called to Cumberland Farms, also on North Colony Road, for a reported car theft. A man told police he was inside when his 2017 Toyota Prius was stolen. Investigators said they were able to link the car theft with the purse snatching incidents that happened earlier.

Around 8:30 p.m., dispatchers received a report of a robbery in progress in the parking lot of Townline Square in Meriden. Authorities said the Prius was developed as a suspect vehicle.

During the incident, the driver of the Prius allegedly drove dangerously close to a woman several times as she carried items that she had purchased to her car. The occupants reached out of the car as it passed the woman and tried to steal her purse, police said.

The occupants were not able to take the woman's purse, but did tear a shopping bag from her hands before speeding away.

About 10 minutes later, police said the Prius committed another purse snatching in the parking lot of Stop and Shop on Broad Street. During this incident, authorities said the driver drove dangerously as the occupants attempted to steal a purse from a woman in the parking lot.

After trying to grab one purse from a woman who had it covered by her coat, authorities said the back seat passenger grabbed another bag that the victim had across her body.

According to officials, the woman was then dragged a short distance by the vehicle and suffered minor injuries and was treated at the hospital.

Hamden Police said they were called in to a reported assault Monday afternoon. The man who called authorities said his 12-year-old son was assaulted on Mix Avenue while walking home from his bus stop.

Detectives learned that the boy was stopped in his driveway by a car with six occupants, who ultimately got out of the car and surrounded him. Police said the thieves stole the boy's cell phone and when he tried to stop them, one of the thieves started punching him in the face. The boy has injuries to his face and chin, according to officials.

Later that evening, police were called to the Walmart parking lot for an attempted robbery. A 64-year-old told police she was walking to her car when a dark-colored vehicle approached her. She said the car pulled up next to her and a man that was driving tried to grab her purse.

Police said the thief held on to the woman's purse and dragged her a short distance. The man wasn't able to steal the purse and the woman sustained injuries to her face and knee, according to officials.

Police are looking into whether these Hamden crimes are connected to similar incidents in Meriden and Wallingford. Officers are stepping up patrols in shopping areas in town, they said.

"We haven't seen anything this violent in a while -- at least in this shopping season," Lt. Darrin McKay said during a news conference in Meriden Tuesday.

McKay said they have seen an increase in purse snatchings in recent months. He urged people to be aware of their surroundings and suggested that if anyone notices something suspicious, such as a car circling the parking lot or appearing to follow them, rather than go to their vehicle, they should return to a store and call police.

"With this kind of a case where the purse was actually grabbed and she was dragged -- I mean this could have been a lot worse. Thank God she was not seriously injured," McKay said.

Later in the evening, authorities said the Prius led troopers from Connecticut State Police and police from several other agencies on a pursuit. It ended in a felony stop on the Berlin Turnpike in Meriden shortly before 11 p.m.

Three minors were taken into custody and were taken to Meriden Police Headquarters without incident. They are facing charges including robbery, assault and reckless endangerment.

Investigators said they found several items inside of the vehicle and on the occupants that connected them to the Meriden robberies and the incidents in other towns.

Anyone with information can contact the Major Crimes Unit at mpdtips@meridenct.gov or by calling (203) 630-6253.

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