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The incident took place around 4:28 p.m., Monday, July 8, when the man went to the area of Saugatuck Avenue near I-95 to purchase a cell phone through a deal he had made with an acquaintance online, Westport Police said.
When the victim attempted to hand over $165 in cash in exchange for the phone, one of two occupants of the vehicle the "sellers" were driving grabbed the cash and began to drive away, Westport police said.
The victim then grabbed the door of the vehicle and initially tried to hang on to the vehicle’s door to prevent it from leaving.
The driver then reportedly began to drive recklessly in an apparent attempt to get the victim to let go of his hold, which he ultimately did, police said.
The victim told officers that he and a friend who lived in the area attempted to follow the suspect on to I-95 but after following, eventually lost the vehicle when it exited in the town of Fairfield.
The victim then went to the Westport Police Department and reported the crime. He was able to provide officers with a description of the occupants, the vehicle’s registration plate as well as a photograph that he had taken of the suspect vehicle, police said.
An extensive investigation was conducted by the detective bureau that ultimately led to the identification of the two suspects. The driver of the suspect vehicle was positively identified as Jose Alvarez of Stamford.
Police obtained a warrant for Alvarez and are currently seeking an arrest warrant for the second suspect.
On Thursday, August 1, members of the detective bureau went to Alvarez’s home in Stamford where he was located and taken into custody.
He was charged with robbery, conspiracy at robbery, and reckless endangerment. He was released after posting a $75,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on Monday, August. 12.
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