19-Year-Old Faces Slew Of Charges In Connection With Car Thefts: BPD

BRANFORD, CT — Friday morning, cops got a report from a concerned citizen about a "suspicious male breaking into motor vehicles" in the area of Highland and Riverview avenues, police said.

Described as wearing a pink hoodie and sweatshirt and a black ski mask, he was seen driving a gray Hyundai SUV with dark tinted windows, police said. Police said he was seen getting out of the Hyundai, and running to an Audi SUV, removing an item from the trunk, and fleeing the scene in the Hyundai."

Sunday morning, around 48 hours after the initial call, police were called to a Short Beach Road home for a report of a hit-and-run incident. They said that the "suspect vehicle"—a gray Hyundai SUV matching the previous description—had followed a victim home and intentionally struck the rear of their vehicle twice at the end of a long private driveway before fleeing southbound on Short Beach Road, police said.

The vehicle and suspect description were consistent with the earlier report from June 6.

The suspect was later identified as Manuel Rosario-Nieves, 19, was located later that day by the Portland (CT) Police Department after his vehicle was discovered abandoned near a construction site and reports came in of a suspicious male fleeing the area, police noted.

Rosario-Nieves, caught hiding behind a house and was taken into custody was charged with Criminal Attempt Assault 2nd, Burglary 3rd, Two (2) counts of Breach of Peace, Two (2) counts of Criminal Trespass 3rd, Criminal Mischief 2nd, Larceny 6th, Two (2) counts of Reckless Driving and Evading Responsibility.

He's held on bond and is due in court Monday,

"We thank our complainants for their vigilance and assistance, as well as our law enforcement partners at the Portland Police Department for their critical support," police wrote on Facebook.

Anyone with further information is encouraged to contact the Branford Police Department at 203-481-4241