On Sunday, August 6, 2023, Trumbull Police apprehended three juveniles who had fled from law enforcement after breaking into a car and attempting to steal it at the Trumbull Mall. They had managed to escape with items taken from the vehicle. The arrested individuals included two thirteen-year-olds and one twelve-year-old male, all residents of Bridgeport. These individuals faced charges related to the incident.
Around 6:30 p.m., the Trumbull Police received a report about four individuals wearing black hoodies and masks who had just stolen a purse and Air Jordan shoes from a Hyundai Elantra. The suspects had broken into the car. Responding officers swiftly located and detained one thirteen-year-old and the twelve-year-old suspect in the mall parking lot. However, these juveniles resisted the police’s efforts to control and apprehend them physically.
An eyewitness initially observed a juvenile fleeing from the Hyundai, carrying the stolen sneakers and several other items from the car. While the suspects were making their escape with the stolen items, the car’s owner approached her vehicle and noticed that the rear window had been shattered. She found her purse and Air Jordan shoes missing, and also discovered that the car’s steering column had been tampered with. Consequently, she contacted the police.
The two apprehended juveniles were positively identified as the culprits and were later taken to Trumbull Police Headquarters. Here, they underwent the criminal processing procedure and were slated for release to their respective guardians.
Upon releasing the thirteen-year-old to his father, officers noticed another juvenile accompanying him who was wearing an ankle monitor. This second juvenile attempted to change his appearance by altering his clothes before arriving at the police department to pick up his friends. However, the officers quickly deduced that this third juvenile was the individual who had smashed the Hyundai’s window, tried to steal the car, and pilfered items from inside the vehicle before fleeing. Subsequently, this juvenile was arrested, identified, and confirmed to be thirteen years old as well.
While some of the stolen items were eventually recovered, the whereabouts of the shoes remain unknown, and the fourth suspect remains at large.
One thirteen-year-old and a twelve-year-old were each charged with Interfering with Police, Conspiracy to Commit Motor Vehicle Larceny, Conspiracy to Commit Criminal Mischief, and Conspiracy to Commit Third-Degree Larceny. They were released to their relatives with a Promise to Appear in Bridgeport Juvenile Court on August 14, 2023. Police were informed that the twelve-year-old is presently on probation for auto theft.
The thirteen-year-old who arrived later at Trumbull Police Headquarters faced charges of Interfering with Police, Attempted Motor Vehicle Larceny, First-Degree Criminal Mischief, and Third-Degree Larceny. He was released to his mother’s custody with a Promise to Appear in Bridgeport Juvenile Court on August 14, 2023.
