Officers from the Greenwich Police Department spotted two suspicious vehicles leaving the Mobil gas station on East Putnam Avenue shortly after 4 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1. Police said that the vehicles turned onto Salem Street, when several suspicious suspects fled the vehicles on foot into the Millbrook neighborhood of Cos Cob.
Investigating officers set up a perimeter and began tracking down the fleeing suspects. At approximately 7 a.m., police said that a suspicious vehicle was spotted on East Putnam Avenue and a person was attempting to flag it down while on his cell phone, walking in the area.
According to police, officers stopped the vehicle, while the person on his phone - later identified as Bridgeport resident Kenny Tapia - was stopped on East Putnam Avenue between Hillside Road and Brookridge Drive. While speaking with Tapia, officers ascertained a confession, when he admitted that he and his friends had burglarized the gas station.
Further investigation determined that one of the vehicles that was being driven by one of the suspects had been reported stolen out of Stratford. A teenager and 24-year-old Ansonia resident Luis Lopez were also taken into custody.
Tapia, 23, was arrested and charged with:
- Burglary;
- Criminal mischief;
- Larceny;
- Interfering with an officer or resisting arrest;
- Conspiracy, and;
- Attempt to commit a crime.
Lopez was charged with:
- Burglary;
- Two counts of larceny;
- Interfering with an officer or resisting arrest, and;
- Conspiracy.
The 17-year-old teen - whose name was not released - was charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, larceny and interfering with an officer or resisting arrest.
Tapia and Lopez were unable to post a $50,000 bond and are being held. The teenager was issued a Juvenile Summons. All three are scheduled to appear in Stamford Superior Court on Monday, Dec. 10 to respond to the charges.
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