#Bridgeport, CT – Oct. 25, 2013 – A motor vehicle stop led to the seizure of a handgun and five arrests.

Officer John Topolski pulled over a vehicle on Crescent Avenue Wednesday and, as he approached the vehicle, he observed the occupants moving furtively inside the vehicle and several were making phone calls.

During the course of the motor vehicle stop, he noticed that the occupants of the car appeared nervous and the driver stated he had a learner’s permit but no license. Talking to the driver, Topolski asked why he and his passengers appeared nervous and asked if there was anything inside the car that caused them to move around furtively when he approached. The driver told police they could search the car, and police found a .38-special handgun in the glove compartment. Police also recovered an electric stun gun.

The five occupants were arrested.

“Several of these individuals were well known to police, are convicted felons and suspects in other crimes,” said Police Chief Joseph L. Gaudett Jr.  “The patrol division did an outstanding job. A routine traffic stop by thorough officers quite possibly prevented something much more serious.”

Arrested were: Jamar Smith, 20, of Bridgeport; Allen Lusmat, 22, of Bridgeport; Craig Salmon, 26, of Hartford; Jason Harrison, 25, of Hartford, and Rhameir Bush, 18, of Bridgeport.

Lusmat and Harrison are convicted felons.

All were charged with possession of weapons in a motor vehicle, carrying a pistol without a permit, unsafe storage of a firearm and possession of a dangerous weapon. Smith additionally was charged with a motor vehicle infraction and Lusmat and Harrison were additionally charged with two counts of criminal possession of a firearm or electronic defense weapon by a felon.