The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Burglary suspect arrested after pursuit
HADDAM » The arrest of a 28-year-old Manchester man who allegedly burglarized a home in early June, led state troopers on a highway chase and then purposely caused a crash was caught by the identifying footprint of his running shoes, according to authorities.
The burglary occurred at about 1:30 p.m. June 2 at a home on Moodus Road, in the Haddam Neck section of town, after which the homeowner discovered cash, credit cards and coins were stolen, according to a release from Haddam State Trooper Enrico Milardo.
Milardo found a shoe print outside the first-floor window where the suspect allegedly forced entry, authorities said. The investigation led to the southbound Madison service area rest stop, where one of the stolen credit cards was used by the suspect, police said.
During weeks of investigation, Steven Aberg, 28, of 134 East Center St., Manchester, and his 2000 red Toyota Celica GT were identified as targets of numerous other Connecticut police cases connected to residential burglaries, Milardo said in the release. Authorities identified Aberg on June 2 video that showed him driving his car to the Madison rest stop while he was wearing black Nike footwear, Milardo said. Aberg was wearing a pair of Nike Cortez sneakers that matched the shoe print impression left outside the burglarized home, Milardo added in his statement.
On July 11 at 3 p.m., troopers tried to stop Aberg as they knew there was a warrant for his arrest, police said. As troopers tried to pull him over on the Interstate 84 eastbound Exit 25 off-ramp in Waterbury, he allegedly accelerated in an attempt to flee, then intentionally struck an SUV that was stopped in front of him.
Police said Aberg pushed the SUV out of the way with his car and sped away along Reidville Drive despite his vehicle’s heavy damage. Aberg lost control of his pickup on Reidville Drive and struck the back of a Freightliner truck, the report said.
Aberg also reportedly jumped over a concrete barrier and ran toward I-84. Troopers eventually managed to take Aberg into custody, Milardo said.
The driver of the SUV that Aberg allegedly struck was taken with her son to St. Mary’s Hospital for evaluation, police said.
Aberg was taken to Troop A in Southbury, arrested and charged with criminal and motor vehicle charges. He was held at New Haven Correctional Facility until Wednesday, then was arraigned at Middlesex Superior Court in Middletown on charges of third-degree burglary and sixth-degree larceny.
He is being held in lieu of $25,000 bail.
Aberg also faces burglary and other charges with other police departments, including in New Hampshire and Rhode Island, according to the report.