Branford Cops Charge 10 Kids, Ages 12-16 In 3-Hour Span Saturday: PD

BRANFORD, CT —Within a three-hour time span on Saturday night, Branford police arrested and charged 10 kids, ages 12 to 16, with crimes ranging from assault to car theft, authorities announced.

Beginning at around 6 p.m., cops got a call from the Montoya Drive Condos for an attempted motor vehicle theft, a news release reads. The vehicle’s ignition was tampered with, but the "suspects were unsuccessful in starting the engine," police said. Patrol officers found three juveniles they said were "connected to the crime."

After placing the three 15- and 16-year-olds in custody, police said they found several screwdrivers, USB Chargers, which investigators said are "commonly associated with ignition tampering," and black ski masks. The teens, from New Haven and were each charged with criminal attempt to commit larceny of a motor vehicle, possession of burglary tools, criminal trover in the second degree, and criminal mischief in the second degree, police said.

Two of the three juveniles are on probation, one having a GPS monitor on his ankle for past crimes, police said, noting all three had criminal histories.

Earlier in the evening, around 4:45 p.m., police learned there was an assault of an Amtrak employee, and several juveniles were involved, the release reads. Through investigation, police learned that the same three were later connected to the assault, which occurred on the aboard an Amtrak train.

Then, at around 8:30p.m., Branford Police got a call from the area of 288 East Main St., where the caller reported juveniles were trying to steal a car. The caller told police that there were multiple kids involved, and they all took off on foot, the release reads.

"Through a thorough investigation and helpful witness observations," police said that officers located and detained seven juveniles involved in this incident. Police said they were able to connect them to another stolen motor vehicle, from West Haven, as well as the attempted stolen vehicle from 288 East Main St.

These juveniles were from West Haven and New Haven, two were 12-years-old, two were 13-years-old, two were 14-years-old and one was 15, police said. Three of them were wearing GPS Global Positioning monitors from previous crimes, police said. Each was charged with various crimes including second-degree criminal mischief, conspiracy to commit larceny of a motor vehicle, larceny of a motor vehicle, and second-degree criminal trover, police said.

All 10 juveniles were transported to Bridgeport Juvenile Detention after officers obtained orders to detain, police said.