A Bridgeport man is accused of breaking into at least one woman's home and targeting another after he allegedly delivered food to them during his job as a delivery and rideshare driver.
Adiel Viana-Ribeiro, 24, was arrested Wednesday on charges out of Hamden.
According to police, the investigation began when a college student reported that someone tried to break into her home on Kimberly Road through a window. The suspect, who police later identified as Viana-Ribeiro, ran off when the victim shined a flashlight at the window, police said.
Police then received a second call from another college student reporting someone entered her Woods Road home through an unlocked back door while she was sleeping. The victim said she woke up and saw a man standing at the foot of her bed. The suspect left when she screamed.
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No one was hurt in either incident.
Investigators said officers found Viana-Ribeiro in the neighborhood and when they tried to stop him, he drove off. He was later captured with help from Connecticut State Police on I-84 near exit 16.
Police said Viana-Ribeiro delivers food and drives for app-based services and they believe he targeted female customers' homes.
Quinnipiac University said the school owns the home on Kimberly Road. The university does not own the other home.
"Quinnipiac Public Safety officers perform regular checks of all university-owned properties to maintain the safety of our student community. We appreciate the quick actions of our students who immediately called Public Safety when they heard a noise outside their home; our officers responded immediately and coordinated with Hamden police and Connecticut State Police, who led an investigation and shortly after apprehended the suspect," Quinnipiac University said in a statement.
"We have also reminded everyone in our university community to practice good safety habits by always securing their residence, regardless of whether they are home or away, including locking windows and doors and keeping dark areas around their home well-lit during the evening," the statement goes on to say.
Viana-Ribeiro was charged with burglary, criminal attempt to commit burglary, criminal mischief, larceny, engaging police in pursuit and reckless driving. He was held on a $50,000 bond.
