EAST HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Five teens were arrested after officers said they crashed a stolen car into multiple police cruisers in East Haven.
Police said the teens were all between 14 and 15 years old. They’re accused of stealing a car from New Haven and leading cars to East Haven, where they hit several cruisers.
Police said an officer spotted a stolen car at about 8:30 a.m. on North High Street in East Haven. Dash camera footage shows police following the car onto Hudson Street, which is a dead end. The car then turns around in the parking lot of the ice rink and hits multiple police cruisers.
Police said the car became disabled and stopped on the grass near the tennis courts. The occupants of the vehicle were then taken into custody.
The chase happened during the arrival time for nearby schools. In the video, police mention seeing the stolen Hyundai almost hitting a car while turning left to Joseph Melillo Middle School.
As a precaution, the middle school and East Haven Academy were put into a brief lockdown.
The five teens face a slew of charges, but State Rep. Vincent Candelora (R-District 86) said they should face more serious repercussions.
“They need to feel the consequences of their actions,” he said. “We’re not saying lock them up and throw away the key, but if you don’t nip it in the early years, we are breeding life-long criminals in the state of Connecticut.”
House chair of the Judiciary Committee, Rep. Steven Stafstrom (D-District 129), said the teens will still face punishment.
“Thankfully, injuries from this incident appear to be minor, and the individuals in question were taken into custody and will face consequences,” Stafstrom said. “Overall, crime statistics show Connecticut has seen a reduction in car thefts, which spiked around the nation during the pandemic. Decades of bipartisan action on juvenile justice policy and Connecticut’s smart-on-crime mentality has resulted in our state being one of the safest in the country.”
Juvenile #1 was charged with:
- Larceny of a motor vehicle
- Conspiracy to commit larceny of a motor vehicle
- Three counts of assault on police
- First-degree criminal trover
- Third-degree burglary
Juvenile # 2 was charged with:
- Larceny of a motor vehicle
- Conspiracy to commit larceny of a motor vehicle
- Third-degree burglary
- Third-degree conspiracy to commit burglary
- Possession of burgburglar’sls
- Conspiracy to possess burgburglar’sls
Juvenile # 3 was charged with:
- Larceny of motor vehicle
- Conspiracy to commit larceny of a motor vehicle
- Third-degree burglary
Juvenile # 4 was charged with:
- Larceny of motor vehicle
- Conspiracy to commit larceny of a motor vehicle
- Third-degree burglary
Juvenile # 5 was charged with:
- Larceny of motor vehicle