New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Police: Man wanted in school break-in arrested in NYC
HAMDEN — Police have arrested a man who allegedly broke into Wintergreen Magnet School last month and assaulted a custodian before stealing the injured employee’s car, officials said, an incident that prompted administrators to increase security measures at the school.
Jordan Richards, 32, was taken into custody by the New York City Police Department nearly two weeks after the alleged Jan. 31 break-in, according to Sgt. Angela Vey, a spokesperson for the Hamden Police Department.
Vey said in a statement Sunday that Richards is now being extradited from New York to Hamden where he will be charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree assault, second-degree larceny, third-degree larceny, interfering with an emergency call and illegally using a payment card.
Police have been searching for Richards since officers were called shortly before 6 a.m. to the K-8 school on Wintergreen Avenue. Vey has said the custodian was attacked after he confronted Richards and asked him to leave the building.
Police said Richards stole the custodian’s wallet, keys and car before fleeing the building. The custodian suffered injuries to his face and skull, which police have said will require surgery to heal.
Vey said investigators suspect Richards engaged in pursuits with various law enforcement agencies between Hamden and New York in an effort to evade custody since the break-in. She noted the NYPD is charging him with being a fugitive from justice.
School officials have not said how Richards managed to enter the building hours before classes were scheduled to begin. Hamden Board of Education member Walter Morton IV has said officials have changed the locks at the building and established other protocols to ensure student safety. The board is also considering an estimated $570,000 in additional security upgrades.