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The incident began on Wednesday, May 3 around 6:30 p.m., when officers in Trumbull were told that four suspects were pulling on car door handles in the parking lot of the Marriott Hotel located at 180 Hawley Ln., according to Trumbull Police.
An officer who responded to the scene then saw the four boys, who then left the area and walked through the parking lot. When the officer told them to stop, they then started running through a wooded area toward the Target store located next to the hotel.
The teens then ran into the nearby Best Buy store, where they were apprehended by police.
After checking the surrounding area, officers located a red 2013 Hyundai Sonata GLS behind the Marriott that had been reported stolen to Shelton Police earlier in the day. The vehicle was found unoccupied with a running engine, a shattered window, a broken ignition, and a USB cord found on the driver's side door.
Police surmised that the suspects most likely used the USB cable to start the car, as they are often used to steal Hyundai vehicles after removing the ignition cover, according to the department.
Further investigation also revealed that another Hyundai that had been reported stolen on Monday, May 1 had been found in Shelton. Authorities determined that the teens had driven this blue Hyundai to Shelton, abandoned it, and then stole the red Hyundai.
The four boys, identified as two 13-year-olds, one 14-year-old, and a 15-year-old who had been listed as a missing person by the New Haven Police Department on Tuesday, April 4, were charged with the following:
- Larceny of motor vehicle;
- Conspiracy to commit larceny of motor vehicle;
- Interfering with police.
The four teens were released to the custody of their guardians on a promise to appear in New Haven Juvenile Court on Wednesday, May 4.
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