More Charges Levied on Accused Car Burglars

The three people accused of being involved in a car robbery in the Merline Road area of town last month have had more charges added to their cases, according to a Vernon Police Department arrest report issued on Wednesday.

A 17-year-old from Hartford is facing additional sets of charges that include:

• Third-degree burglary, sixth-degree larceny. Bond: $8,000.
• Third-degree burglary, sixth-degree larceny. Bond: $5,000.

Tyrell Boo Hightower, 21, of 33 Douglas St., Hartford, is facing additional sets of charges that include:

• Third-degree burglary, sixth-degree larceny. Bond: $5,000.
• Third-degree burglary, sixth-degree larceny. Bond: $5,000.
• Third-degree burglary, sixth-degree larceny. Bond: $8,000.
• Third-degree burglary, sixth-degree larceny. Bond: $5,000.

Efrain Quinones, 20, of 103 Lincoln St., Hartford, is facing additional sets of charges that include:

• Third-degree burglary, sixth-degree larceny. Bond: $5,000.
• Second-degree breach of peace, first-degree burglary, third-degree burglary (four counts), interfering with police, sixth-degree larceny. Bond: $50,000.
• Third-degree burglary, fourth-degree larceny. Bond: $5,000.
• Third-degree burglary, sixth-degree larceny. Bond: $8,000.
• Third-degree burglary, fourth-degree larceny. Bond: $5,000.

Hightower and Quinones already had a scheduled appearance in Rockville Superior Court on Tuesday and were assigned the additional charges at 10 a.m., police said.

They were originally taken into custody after Vernon police broke up an attempted vehicular burglary on Vinetta Drive early on the morning of March 15.

Police said that at 2:17 a.m., an emergency call came in from a Vinetta Drive resident indicating he woke up to the noise of his garage door opening.

The resident said someone was attempting to enter the home and after he climbed out of bed to investigate, he noticed a vehicle speeding away from the house and onto Merline Road, according to a news release.

Police said the vehicle was quickly located in front of 211 Merline Rd., but the driver would not stop for the police cruiser, which had its lights on. The driver then attempted to reverse his direction, but an officer pulled a cruiser to the side of the road, and struck the vehicle in an effort to block the escape route, a news release states.

Both vehicles sustained minor damage at the front bumper area, police said.

The driver exited the vehicle and fled on foot, heading north on Merline Road, but another officer chased him down, police said. Police identified the driver as Hightower. His address was originally listed as  67 Newbury St., Hartford.

A front-seat passenger also attempted to flee, but the officer who initially blocked the vehicle was able to close the car door and hold it shut, police said. He and a second passenger were taken into custody, joining the driver, police said. They were identified as a 17-year-old and Quinones.

The 17-year-old is considered a juvenile, whose name is exempt from disclosure because of youthful offender status.

An investigation at Vinetta Drive determined that the vehicles at the home had been burglarized, police said. The suspects used a door opener taken from a car outside to open the garage door, police said. Police determined the motive was not home invasion.

The vehicle used in the burglary, a 2007 Volkswagen Jetta, had been reported stolen in West Hartford and West Hartford police also reported that several car burglaries were being investigated in the area where the car was taken, a news release states.

Vernon police said they searched the suspect vehicle several times and recovered GPS units, keys, sunglasses, cell phones, various chargers, and loose change. Police said the GPS units led them to areas of Vernon where there had been suspected car burglaries.

Police said they have been investigating a dozen car burglaries near Merline Road, Vinetta Drive, Sunset Terrace, and Pleasant View Drive.

Police have been trying to locate the owners of several GPS units.

All three were initially charged with:

• Four counts of third-degree burglary.
• First-degree burglary.
• Motor Vehicle Larceny.
• Interfering with an officer.
• Breach of Peace.
• Sixth-degree larceny.

Quinones and Hightower appeared in Rockville Superior Court that day and their cases were continued to Tuesday, police said.

Quinones was being held on a pair of $25,000 bonds and Hightower was being held on two $50,000 bonds, according to court records.

The cases are part of joint investigations involving several police departments, Vernon police said.