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The arrests came in Queens after an investigation was launched on Long Island Thursday, April 9 when a 2019 Land Rover was stolen from a residence located at The Roslyn Intervale estates, Nassau County Police said.
The investigation led detectives to East Elmhurst, Queens, where police say they observed the stolen auto and three occupants parked on 80th Street Saturday, April 11 at around 1 a.m.
As detectives approached the vehicle and after identifying themselves, the auto intentionally hit into the police car and then drove backward at a high rate of speed, narrowly missing detectives on foot before striking two parked vehicles, according to Nassau County Police.
All three occupants fled on foot in different directions and were placed into police custody after brief foot pursuits. There were no injuries reported.
A subsequent investigation revealed that all three, the driver, Matthew Garcia, 22, of Corona, front passenger Gabriel Lora, 18, of Queens, and a 17-year-old juvenile offender from Yonkers whose name was not released due to his age, were responsible for other larcenies of autos and removing items from autos from multiple locations that occurred throughout Nassau County since April 1, 2020.
Garcia was charged with five counts of third-degree grand larceny, three counts of petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.
Lora and the Yonkers teen were both charged with two counts of criminal possession of stolen property.
All three are due to be arraigned on Sunday, April 12 by First District Court in Hempstead.
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