Thanks to an observant neighbor and a top cop’s knowledge of Newhallville, police recovered a stolen scooter and made three arrests.
Here’s what happened, according to police spokesman Officer Dave Hartman:
On Monday, Officer Matt Williams responded to a robbery complaint. The victim told him two men had robbed him of his 2011 Linhai Passport scooter at 10:40 a.m. while in front of a church in Dixwell Plaza. One of the men had a gun.
Two days later, Officers Scott Shumway and Jeremy Elliot were on the beat in Newhallville when a woman told them she saw two guys riding the scooter on Newhall Street near Lilac Street. At 250 Newhall St., the officers found the two men the woman sitting on the front porch. One of them had the keys to the scooter, which was in the backyard.
Police contacted the robbery victim, who ID’d one of the guys, but said the other didn’t rob him. Hearing a description of the second robber Newhallville District Manager Lt. Thaddeus Reddish had a suspect in mind. “With a good amount of community assistance, and the keen memory of the victim,” cops were able to ID and arrest the second suspect, Hartman said.
The two muggers were arrested for robbery in the first degree, larceny in the second degree and two counts each of conspiracy. The other guy on the porch was charged with second-degree larceny.
In other police news, according to Hartman:
School Bus Fire: A fire broke out in a school bus on Valley Street at around 1:30 p.m. on Friday. The bus was safely evacuated and no one was injured.
New Haven Public Schools spokesman Chris Hoffman said the bus was carrying four kids from Amistad Academy. The district, which runs busing for charter schools as well as district schools, does evacuation drills twice a year, Hoffman said.
The fire erupted in the engine compartment, Hoffman said. No cause has been determined. The fire will be investigated by the city, and the state Department of Motor Vehicles will inspect the records on the bus, which belongs to the First Student Bus Company.
Drug Arrest: Members of the Tactical Narcotics Unit executed three search warrants on Clay Street on Wednesday. They were looking two people wanted for drug sales. They found one of them, arrested him, and found marijuana packaged for sale in the apartment.
2 Liquor Licenses Suspended
Two New Haven businesses will have their liquor licenses suspended following violations, announced the state Department of Consumer Protection Thursday.
Soco’s bar at 50 Fitch St. has paid a fine of $1,000 and will have its liquor license suspended on Oct. 18 for two counts each of sale to a minor and having a minor in the barroom.
Vinnies Deli on Lombard Street has paid a fine of $1,000 and will have its liquor license suspended on Oct. 24 for a variety of violations, including unauthorized sale.
Crime Map
Click here for a list of major crimes for Sept. 29. Click on the image below to see those incidents placed on a citywide map.
NHPD
For block-by-block year-to-date crime information, plus daily crime maps, check out the Independent’s Crime Log.