OLD LYME, Conn. — The presence of Connecticut State Police K-9 Rocco influenced an alleged car thief to surrender to the authorities in Old Lyme on Wednesday evening, according to a release from state police.
Around 3 p.m. Wednesday, the West Haven Police Department advised state police from Troop F in Westbrook of a stolen black Jeep Grand Cherokee with a Connecticut registration that was taken by a man. It was last seen traveling in the Guilford area.
Dispatch at Troop F broadcasted a “Be on the Lookout” to patrol troopers and gave them a description of the suspect and vehicle. Not long after, Troop F was informed that Clinton police officers located the Jeep traveling northbound on Interstate 95, but they were unable to pull over the vehicle, according to state police.
In the moments that followed, Old Saybrook police told Troop F that their officers saw the Jeep merge onto Interstate 95 Northbound from the Exit 68 entrance ramp.
State police said the Old Saybrook officers obtained a photo of the suspect from a staff at a local gas station, who said the suspect was going around asking people for gas money. Troop F was provided with the photo, but troopers couldn’t locate the Jeep at this time.
Around 7:33 p.m., troopers responded to near Lyme Street in Old Lyme for a reported active disturbance, state police said. The caller told dispatch that they were traveling on Lyme Street when they stopped to help an man who was lying on the ground near the Exit 70 off-ramp to I-95 Southbound.
During the interaction, the man allegedly got up and attempted to steal the good Samaritan’s vehicle before walking in the direction of the woods. When a trooper arrived on scene, they spoke with the complainant, who said the suspect ran into the woods.
State police said when the trooper approached the wood-line, they could hear rustling from within the woods. The trooper told the suspect to reveal himself and exit the woods before retrieving K-9 Rocco from their cruiser for possible deployment.
“In response, the suspect pleaded with the trooper to not deploy their K-9, and eventually agreed to surrender,” state police said.
The suspect ultimately came out of the woods, and the trooper placed him in handcuffs. The suspect was later identified as Manuel Aviles, 36, of West Haven.
State police said that the investigation discovered that Aviles was involved in the disturbance, had fled into the woods and was the same person who stole the Jeep earlier in the day.
State police brought Aviles to Troop F for processing and charged him with larceny of a motor vehicle, interfering with an officer and breach of peace in the second degree.
According to state police, Aviles informed troopers that he abandoned the stolen Jeep on I-95 Southbound just prior to Exit 70.
State police held Aviles on a $50,000 cash/surety bond. He was scheduled to be arraigned at New London Superior Court on Thursday.
Troopers were able to find the unoccupied stolen Jeep on I-95 Southbound before Exit 70. It had a flat tire.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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