New Canaan Police have arrested a woman in connection with a crime ring accused of stealing nearly $90,000 in merchandise from retail stores across six states.
Aysia Ryan, 20, of Windsor, is facing charges of larceny and conspiracy to commit larceny.
The investigation began on October 3 when $300 worth of merchandise was stolen from a Ralph Lauren Store on Elm Street in New Canaan. The next day, the same store was hit again, this time with $5,000 in merchandise lost. A third theft of $6,000 in merchandise was reported on October 7.
According to police, in the last two thefts a car parked in the no parking zone, two suspects entered the store and stole the merchandise before returning to the waiting vehicle to flee.
On October 13, an officer working an off-duty security job at the same store saw a car parked in the no parking zone. Police said a man and woman got out of the car and started for the store while a third man waited in the vehicle. When the woman saw the officer, she turned around and went back to the car. The man entered the store and left after he was approached by the officer. The vehicle then theft, speeding off west on Elm Street toward Park Street.
Officers tried to stop the vehicle on Cherry Street, but police said it drove straight at police and hit a cruiser before continuing off. The car was later found with heavy damage in a driveway on Hillside Avenue. The suspects were seen running toward Forest Street and escaped.
Believing the crimes were tied to others in the region, New Canaan police joined a multi-state task force to investigate similar crimes in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Connecticut and Maine. Police eventually identified Ryan as one of the suspects.
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According to police, Ryan was arrested after being involved in a pursuit with Massachusetts and Connecticut State Police after committing a similar theft in Auburn, Massachusetts. She was processed on the New Canaan charges on Thursday and is scheduled to appear in court on December 26.
Police have also obtained an arrest warrant of Jahliil Parrott, who is already incarcerated in Nassau County, New York. Police have another female suspect identified and are looking to obtain an arrest warrant for that person.
Investigators believe Ryan and Parrott are part of an organized retail theft crime ring that has stolen nearly $90,000 worth of merchandise in various states. The investigation is ongoing and more arrests are expected.
