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Four people arrested after two cars stolen and police pursuits in Old Saybrook

OLD SAYBROOK — Police Chief Michael Spera and his Old Saybrook police force have been hit hard over the last year or so by out of town juveniles, who are ...

OLD SAYBROOK -- Police Chief Michael Spera and his Old Saybrook police force have been hit hard over the last year or so by out of town juveniles, who are stealing cars from the shoreline community.

And early Monday morning, it happened again resulting in an extremely high speed chase.

Four people, whose names and ages had not been released by early Monday afternoon, remained in custody of the Old Saybrook Police after what could have resulted in something far worse.

Old Saybrook Police chased down the first car stolen near Goodwin Elementary School, apprehending one occupant, while one got away. Police believe that person may have joined two others in stealing the second car.

"I was sleeping and woke up to the car starting," said the owner of a Dodge Hellcat, who did not wish to share his real name.

That man’s high performance car was stolen out of his driveway, which is near the Old Saybrook Police Department, at approximately 4:45 Monday morning.

"I just ran out the stairs, jumped off the front steps and jumped through the driver side window," the car's owner said.

"Eli," as he identified himself as, said he had one hand on the steering wheel and one on the driver’s chest.

"They dragged me halfway down the driveway until I had to let go or I was going to get run over," he said.

He said three people stole his car, which he said can go over 200 miles per hour. It was the second stolen car swiped in Old Saybrook within an hour and a half.

"They had to be going over 100 miles an hour, easily, on Main Street," he said, describing how loud the engine is.

Connecticut State Police engaged in the pursuit of this car on I-95 southbound, but they broke it off near exit 54 in Branford after the Hellcat had reached at least 120 mph.

Once that thing's on the highway, there’s nothing that can catch it," the owner said. "The only thing that will stop that car is either they crash it or they run out of gas."

Or it’s on board UConnect system, which is similar to OnStar, is disabled. That's exactly what occurred.

"That’s the only way they caught these kids," he said.

After the car was shut down remotely, police apprehended the three occupants in Stratford.

The car owner said his car comes with two key fobs: black and red ones. He said the red one is what unleashes over 700 hp and that’s the one that the driver used to start the car.

The owner said he meant to go get his fob out of his car last night, but he forgot to.

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