Suspect Steals SUV, Crashes It In New Canaan: Police

NEW CANAAN, CT — A 30-year-old Newark, New Jersey, man was arrested on a host of charges by New Canaan police early Wednesday after he stole a BMW SUV from a local home, crashed it and tried to run from officers, according to authorities.

Louis J. Cruz was apprehended at about 6:15 a.m. and charged with the following:

• Possession of burglary tools
• Third-degree criminal trespass
• Second-degree larceny
• Third-degree larceny
• Sixth-degree larceny
• Interfering with an officer
• Evading responsibility causing property damage

The incident began at about 4:45 a.m. when New Canaan police officers were called to Urban Street after a witness reported seeing two men entering and rifling through vehicles parked on the street.

The suspects had traveled to the town in a stolen, red older model Subaru with New Jersey plates and a loud exhaust, and officers soon spotted it traveling north on Smith Ridge Road. Police said the Subaru had been reported stolen a few hours earlier.

"Investigating officers later located the Subaru on Canoe Hill Road, the car had crashed into a tree and the suspects fled the scene of the crash," New Canaan police said. "Due to the fresh snow officers observed the footprints of the suspects fleeing the scene of the crash. A K-9 unit from the Norwalk PD responded to the scene to assist with the search for the suspects."

The footprints were tracked from the area of Canoe Hill Road near Rosebrook Road to Brushy Ridge Road, police said, when officers discovered one of the suspects, who turned out to be Cruz, tried to break into several vehicles on Brushy Ridge before ultimately stealing the BMW SUV from a home on Brushy Ridge Road.

Police said the vehicle had been left unlocked and with the keys inside.

"This stolen vehicle was observed by investigating officers traveling past them and nearly striking the officers at the intersection of Brushy Ridge Road and New Norwalk Road," police said. "The stolen BMW was later located after it crashed in the area of West Road near Oenoke Ridge Road."

Officers, again following footprints in the snow, were able to track down Cruz hiding behind a bush nearby on Lambert Road. He tried to run before officers were able to capture him.

The other suspect was not found and remains at-large.

Cruz and the other suspect also had stolen items from vehicles, and those items were recovered from the smashed Subaru.

New Canaan police again issued a warning to residents to lock their vehicles.

"The New Canaan Police have continued for multiple years through media and social media campaigns to remind residents to lock their vehicles and remove valuables," police said. "We continue to ask the public to consider this incident as an example of how brazen and reckless these criminals can be. LOCK YOUR CARS!!!"

Cruz initially was held in lieu of bail of $100,000, but it was lowered by a state bail commissioner to $10,000, and he was able to bond out, according to police.

Cruz was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.