On Wednesday, Greenwich Police announced that at approximately 3:30 am, they were notified that a car had just been stolen on Scott Rd in back country Greenwich.
Police spotted the car, a 2018 BMW X1, headed in the direction of North Street and the Merritt Parkway.
When they arrived in the area, police spotted the BMW traveling south on North Street behind a stolen Honda Civic and in front of a stolen Jeep Cherokee.
Upon seeing the patrol vehicles, all three vehicles fled south on North Street and attempted to elude officers by turning down a dead-end street.
The vehicles all turned around and attempted to exit back onto North Street, but tire deflation devices were deployed as the BMW and Honda exited the dead-end road and turned right (northbound) onto North Street. Both vehicles came to a controlled stop approximately one mile north of the deployment location.
All occupants fled out of the vehicles and fled on foot.
The third vehicle (Jeep Cherokee) exited the dead-end road and turned right (south) onto North Street. At an unknown location, and for an unknown reason, the Jeep received disabling damage to the rear axle and right rear tire, causing the vehicle to be abandoned on Clapboard Ridge Road. The occupant(s) also fled from that vehicle.
A perimeter was established around both scenes, and K-9 units were requested from Stamford, Norwalk, and Westport.
A search of both scenes by police K-9s yielded negative results.
The Greenwich Police Drone Unit arrived on the scene and located the four subjects hiding in the woods on South Stanwich Road.
All four subjects (3 juvenile males and 1 adult male) were taken into custody without incident.
During a search of the Clapboard Ridge scene, patrol observed a male dressed in all black running in the woods in the area of Taconic Road and North Street. That male was stopped in the area of 460 North Street and determined to be the driver of the stolen Jeep Cherokee.
He was also taken into custody without incident.
Alex Gutama. Photo courtesy Greenwich Police May 9, 2024
In total, four juvenile males (three from Danbury and one from Brookfield, CT) and one adult male – Alex Gutama, 18, 7 Prince Street, Danbury, CT 06810 – were arrested and charged with the following charges:
- 53a-119c; Larceny of a Motor Vehicle
- 53a-48 at 53a-199c; Conspiracy at Larceny of a Motor Vehicle
- 53a- 167a; Interfering with an Investigation
Gutama was additionally charged with the following:
- 53-21; Risk of Injury to Minor
Mr. Gutama posted a $25,000 bond and is scheduled to appear at Stamford Superior Court on May 22, 2024.
The Juveniles were released from custody after being issued juvenile court referrals and are to appear at Bridgeport Juvenile Court on May 9, 2024.