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The incident occurred in New Haven County around 10 p.m., Tuesday, June 18, at the LVL Up Smoke Shop in Meriden.
According to Lt. Darrin McKay of the Meriden Police, a patrol officer responded to the store after receiving a burglar alarm notice.
When he arrived, the officer determined a man was inside the business, which was closed.
As he waited outside for backup, the man, later identified as New London County resident Williams Maaseiyh, age 28, of Norwich, came out the front door, saw the officer, dropped a bag and cash register he was carrying, and took off running for the woods, said McKay.
The officer chased Maaseiyh on foot but lost him. A K9 officer and his dog Nicole began to track.
McKay said as the track was occurring, detectives in an unmarked vehicle were following a white BMW that was circling suspiciously in the area of the police perimeter.
Detectives believed the driver, whom they could see was on her cell phone, was there looking to pick up the burglary suspect.
The BMW pulled into a nearby driveway of a home, and at that time, police confronted her. The woman claimed not to know about the burglary; however, Masseiyh was spotted in the wood line of that home, and after seeing the police, he ran back into the woods.
He was caught a few minutes later and arrested. During his arrest, officers found brass knuckles that opened into a knife, police said.
He was charged with:
- Carrying a dangerous weapon
- Burglary
- Interfering with a police officer
- Larceny
- Criminal mischief
Masseiyh was held on a $100,000 bond.
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