Fairfield Police K9 Tracks Down Suspected Car Thief, Cops Say

FAIRFIELD, CT — Bolt, the Fairfield police K9 officer, tracked down an alleged car thief late last month, after the suspect ran through Fairfield neighborhoods, according to authorities.

On Nov. 25, Fairfield and other Connecticut law enforcement agencies were alerted to be on the lookout for a gray Mitsubishi Outlander that had been reported stolen out of New York; the vehicle had nearly collided with a Department of Transportation truck on I-95 and was seen traveling erratically.

Fairfield police officers found the vehicle abandoned at the end of Halley Avenue, at which time K9 Bolt, handled by Officer Nicholas Ardizzone, was called into action.

"K9 Bolt tracked from the vehicle through several properties, where officers were directed by residents to a man seen running through the area," Fairfield Police Sgt. Jenna Wellington told Patch.

The suspect, later identified as Hartford resident Kelvin Rivera, 45, was soon spotted hiding in a ditch behind a house on Castle Avenue, according to Wellington. He was taken into custody without incident.

Rivera was arrested on charges of larceny of a motor vehicle and reckless driving; he was released on bond and is scheduled to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on Dec. 22.

K9 Bolt, a German Shepherd, and Officer Ardizzone "played a critical role in this successful apprehension," according to Wellington.

"This work exemplifies the value that trained police K9s bring to public safety operations, and the department is grateful to have him serving the Fairfield community," Wellington said.