Warrants: The crime spree that led to Hummer chase
After meeting at a “trap house,” police said two people funded their drug addictions with a monthlong crime spree — stealing parking meters, shoplifting and burglarizing cars — that culminated with a chase through several Connecticut towns on Sunday, according to court documents.
Brookfield resident Hannah Casperson was taken into custody in Monroe after her Hummer crashed into a utility pole. Police said seven officers were injured after Casperson crashed into their vehicles during the pursuit from Waterbury to Monroe.
Two days earlier, police said they arrested Casperson's criminal partner, 31year-old Waterbury resident Thomas Crawford. Police said Crawford was arrested trying to steal a cartload of groceries in Wolcott while Casperson fled when she saw officers arrive.
Police said they were closing in on the pair after they were seen earlier on Friday in the area where 41 vehicle burglaries occurred in Wolcott.
After his arrest, Crawford told investigators he met Casperson about a month ago at a Waterbury “trap house,” where people gather to buy and sell drugs, according to warrants for his arrest on larceny and criminal mischief charges. Police have said the crime spree was used to fund Crawford and Casperson's drug addictions.
“He stated that they began to commit shopliftings at various locations throughout the city, including Dick's sporting goods, the mall and various other locations,” according to one of the warrants filed in Waterbury Superior Court.
“Crawford stated that it was always just him and Hannah committing the crimes, where she would drive her vehicle, the white Hummer, and he would go into the stores to steal,” the warrant stated.
Police said they have also connected Crawford and Casperson with the thefts of several parking meters in Waterbury.
On March 11, a Waterbury police officer reported the meter heads and poles near St. Mary's Hospital had been pulled out of the sidewalk, according to the warrant. Police said security footage from the hospital showed a Hummer in the area.
“The vehicle was seen pulling up to the meter poles (where) a person exited the vehicle and pulled the meters out of the ground and placed them in the vehicle,” the warrant stated. “The vehicle then drove away.”
Crawford admitted to stealing the parking meters when interviewed by investigators last Friday, the warrant stated.
“Hannah would hit the meters with the Hummer to loosen them, then he would pull them from the ground,” the warrant stated.
Crawford told police they took the meters to a street where he smashed them open, according to the warrant, netting about $60 in the process.
Police said they also believe the two were involved in burglarizing at least 14 vehicles in Waterbury last Thursday and Friday. Taken from one of the cars were three diamond rings, sweatshirts and a pair of Jordan sneakers worth a total of $6,100, according the warrant. Another car had $1,000 in cash stolen from a wallet, the warrant stated.
Crawford admitted to the Waterbury burglaries, telling police he used a “window punch” to smash the car windows, the warrant stated.
Police wrote in the warrants that the Hummer was registered to Casperson and her father in Brookfield. Police had flagged the vehicle to attempt to locate it, “with notes stating to check the condition of Hannah, who was known to use drugs and frequent the Waterbury area,” a warrant for Crawford's arrest stated.
Casperson was also wanted for failure to appear in court, according to officials.
“This vehicle has been seen by officers on multiple occasions in the City of Waterbury, who attempted to stop the vehicle and identify the parties, however, they were unsuccessful as the Hummer did not stop for officers and it was not engaged in pursuits,” the warrant stated.