Police: 14-year-old arrested in stolen vehicle this month tied to multiple vehicle break-ins

A 14-year-old arrested earlier this month in a stolen vehicle faces additional charges after police allege they were able to tie him to several vehicle break-ins reported in Woodbridge just before the car theft.

The New Haven teen was charged Tuesday with a single count each of sixth-degree larceny, reckless driving and operating a motor vehicle without a license and two counts each of criminal attempt to commit sixth-degree larceny and criminal trespassing, according to the Woodbridge Police Department.

Police said the charges stem from reports they received on Feb. 2 of five motor vehicle break-ins and a stolen car. The reports came from various areas in Woodbridge.

At the time, Woodbridge police alerted area police departments about the stolen vehicle and gave fellow law enforcement officials a description of the vehicle. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle was located by members of the West Haven and Milford Police Departments and Connecticut State Police.

The stolen vehicle was recovered and found to have been driven by a 14-year-old, police said. At the time, the 14-year-old and another juvenile were arrested by West Haven police and charged with interfering with a police officer, possession of a firearm, larceny of a motor vehicle, conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny of a motor vehicle, sixth-degree larceny and theft of a payment card.

Neither of the juveniles were able to post bond and were detained at the Bridgeport Juvenile Detention Center, police said.

Woodbridge police said they were later able to obtain video footage of the break-ins reported before the vehicle theft. The footage reportedly tied one of the juveniles to the crimes, according to police.

The 14-year-old arrested Tuesday was arraigned in New Haven Juvenile Court. Police said he remains in the custody of the state Department of Correction at the detention center in Bridgeport.