Following the murder of a dozen people at an Aurora, Colo., premiere of the latest Batman movie, New Haven cops will pay extra attention to the film’s screenings at a downtown movie theater.
Police spokesman Officer Dave Hartman announced that news on Friday just 12 hours after the Aurora massacre. A 24-year-old gunman there allegedly killed 12 people and injured dozens more, including a 3‑month-old child. Police arrested the man at the scene.
“In the wake of the Colorado tragedy, the NHPD will be giving special attention to the Criterion Cinema at 86 Temple Street, during the theater’s run of ‘The Dark Knight Rises,’” Hartman said. “District 1 Officers will be assigned supplemental beat patrols at the theater, prior to the show-times.”
In other police news, according to Hartman:
“Tricked-Out Whip” Nabbed: Police responded to Sargent Drive and Long Wharf Drive around midnight Thursday on reports of street racing in progress.
“Officer Matt Abbate reported up to 100 tricked out whips [fancy cars], poised for racing,” Hartman said. “This illegal activity has in past years resulted in accidents, injuries to both civilians, officers and troopers, and even fatalities.”
Abbate spotted two vehicles side by side, revving their engines, poised to race. When the cars took off from Canal Dock Road, Abbate chased after them. Cops blocked off the other end of the illegal race course. One of the racers, confused, helped box in Abbate’s target. Abbate arrested a 22-year-old Seymour man and charged him with reckless driving and street racing. “His shiny grey 2003 Infinity G35 was towed and impounded,” Hartman said.
Burglary: Police are investigating a residential burglary and car theft that took place early Friday morning. Someone got into a house by means of an unlocked kitchen window and went into a woman’s bedroom while she was asleep. The burglar took the woman’s car keys and drove off in her 2005 Toyota Corolla, which contained her pocketbook.
Parked Car “Pulled Over”: At about 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Officers Dwight Calderon and Carmelo Rivera were at the corner of East Ramsdell and South Genessee streets when they spotted a suspicious grey Buick Century behind a housing complex. The license plate should have been on a Honda Civic, “so they ‘pulled over’ the parked car,” Hartman wrote.
The man in the driver’s seat got out and tried to walk away. “He wasn’t afforded such a liberty, and was detained long enough for the officers to spot the crack cocaine which was in the driver’s door pocket.” Cops arrested the 24-year-old on drug and motor vehicle charges.