This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
08/23/2016 10:48 AMAn alert Branford Police officer noticed something off about a car parked in a gas station lot in the early hours of this morning -- no morning dew on the vehicle, compared to others parked nearby. As the officer approached, a man who had stolen the car "popped up" from inside the vehicle, hands raised in surrender, according to Branford police. The car, which had been stolen from West Haven several hours earlier, had not yet been reported missing as the owner was not aware the car had been taken until he was contacted by police.
Branford Police Department supplied the following information about the incident:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 23, 2016: While Officer Chris Cope was patrolling the Leetes Island Road area this morning at about 4:30 a.m., his attention was drawn to a vehicle parked in the Branford Shell Gas Station at 49 Leetes Island Road.
Officer Cope noticed that one of the vehicles parked in the rear had no morning dew on its windows compared to the others parked nearby. As he began to investigate closer, a male, later identified as Esteban Melendez, 18, (DOB 3/9/1998) of 66 Myrtle Street, New Bedford, MA., popped up in the driver's seat and immediately raised his hands in the air.
As Officer Cope spoke with Melendez, [the officer] could see that the column under the vehicle's steering wheel was missing and wires were hanging out. Additionally, the 1999 Honda Civic was running with no keys in the ignition.
Officer Cope, who was now being assisted by Officer Bryan McGinnis, determined the vehicle was from West Haven. Branford Communications personnel contacted the vehicle's owner, and the owner realized that the vehicle had been stolen from his home within the past several hours.
Melendez was taken into custody by Officers Cope and McGinnis and they located a small bag of marijuana in his pant pocket. Melendez was charged with Criminal Trover 1st Degree [forcibly entering or forcibly removing the ignition of a motor vehicle and using vehicle without owner consent, resulting in vehicle damage or diminishing vehicle value], Larceny 3rd Degree, and Possession of under a half ounce of marijuana.
Melendez was additionally charged with Interfering with an Officer's Investigation for providing false identification. His actual identity was later confirmed by the use of the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS).
Melendez was held on a $10,000 bond and was set to be arraigned in New Haven Court today at 9 a.m.