Convicted Felon Arrested After Crashing Stolen Truck In Stafford

STAFFORD, CT — A Willington man already on probation for previous larceny and burglary convictions was arrested late Monday morning after crashing a stolen vehicle near the Stafford town green, then fleeing into a wooded area before being captured following a police canine track, according to a state police report.

Brandon Prince, 21, was charged by state police with third-degree larceny, interfering with an officer, reckless driving, evading responsibility and improper use of marker. Bond was set at $100,000, and he is scheduled to appear Wednesday in Hartford Superior Court.

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According to a police report, troopers investigating multiple burglary reports on Stafford St. Monday morning identified Prince from surveillance footage. A search of the immediate area was conducted, as Prince has also been identified as a suspect in multiple similar cases, police said.

Later in the morning, around 11:13 a.m., the vehicle Prince was suspected of driving, a 2001 Toyota Tacoma, was spotted westbound on Route 190 in Union. After losing sight of the vehicle, a Stafford police unit spotted the vehicle by the Stafford town green and observed the driver lose control and roll the vehicle onto its left side. The operator fled on foot into the woods, and following a canine track, Prince was found behind an abandoned greenhouse nearby, police said.

Investigation revealed the Tacoma had been stolen and a misused registration plate was on the vehicle. Prince is wanted by Willimantic police, according to a report.

Around 2:45 p.m., a trooper responded to a home on Stickney Hill Road in Union upon a report of missing items from a shed. Investigation revealed Prince as a suspect in that case, and additional charges of third-degree burglary and fifth-degree larceny were filed, with bond set at $5,000, police said.

Judicial records show Prince was convicted in late 2017 on a third-degree burglary charge, and again in Sept. 2018 on a third-degree larceny charge. In each case, he received a 3-year suspended sentence and two years' probation.