Four juveniles are in custody after Waterbury police say they bolted from a stolen Toyota Camry during a patrol near Sylvan Avenue and Baldwin Street, only to be caught after a short foot chase. Officers reported no further incident once the group was taken into custody.
According to the Stamford Advocate, officers were patrolling the area when they located the black Camry, which had been reported stolen out of Waterbury. Police did not disclose when the vehicle was reported stolen. As officers approached, the four juveniles ran, according to WTNH, which reported that the group was apprehended following a brief foot pursuit without further incident.
Police caught the four juveniles quickly, the Stamford Advocate reported, and the Waterbury Police Department said it remains committed to proactive enforcement efforts addressing stolen motor vehicle activity throughout the city.
A Recurring Pattern on Waterbury Streets
This is far from the first time Waterbury officers have intercepted a stolen car occupied by teenagers. Earlier this month, a 14-year-old was arrested in connection with a stolen vehicle, as reported by Newport Dispatch, which noted that the teen faced charges of larceny of a motor vehicle and interfering with police in that case.
Back in September 2024, Waterbury police arrested four teens accused of stealing a car, saying at the time the group might be connected to other car break-ins and thefts around the city, per NBC Connecticut. In that case, officers from the vice and intelligence division and the Auto Theft Task Force found a stolen 2015 Buick Verano on Pine Street and arrested the four teens inside it.
Task Force Has Tracked Down Other Stolen Vehicles
The Auto Theft Task Force has logged other recoveries this year as well. In January, officers investigated a black 2021 BMW 430i Convertible that had been reported stolen out of New Canaan and found it occupied near 256 Perkins Avenue, according to the Waterbury Police Department, which said three people were arrested in that investigation.
Whether this latest group of four juveniles has any connection to other vehicle thefts or break-ins in the city has not been established. Statewide data suggests property crime, including motor vehicle theft, saw a notable decline in early 2025 compared to prior years, though that figure comes from a limited snippet of a state report and shouldn't be read as a city-specific trend for Waterbury.
