Crime & Safety

Hartford Man Apprehended in Fern Street Area Burglary Cases

West Hartford police said the suspect, Gregory Carter, was found in the backyard of a home on Lilley Road carrying a duffle bag containing burglary tools and attempting to hide stolen items taken from unlocked motor vehicles.

A Hartford man has been apprehended in connection with a string of early morning car burglaries in the Fern Street and Farnham Road areas after police found the man in possession of a duffle bag filled with burglary tools and other stolen goods.

Officers took Gregory Carter, of 136 Collins St. in Hartford, into custody around 3:30 a.m. Saturday morning after responding to reports of a man walking up and down driveways and peering into vehicles.

“West Hartford units flooded the area and after a short time located the suspect in the rear yards of Lilley Road,” Lt. Frank Fallon said in a press release. “The suspect, later identified as Gregory Carter, was taken into custody without incident.”

Carter, 59, was holding a bag containing tools commonly used in burglaries, Fallon said, and had attempted to hide evidence by ditching various items taken from unlocked vehicles throughout the area.

Charges are pending, police said, and officers are investigating whether he may have been involved in a series of residential and motor vehicle burglaries over the past several months, including a home burglary along Auburn Road on Wednesday evening.

If not for an alert citizen, who notified police of the suspicious activity, Fallon said Carter might have gotten away with the crime.

Fallon said it is important for residents to keep their valuables with them and locked up when possible, and to take precautions to avoid falling victim to a crime of opportunity.

“The West Hartford Police Department continues to request help from the public in reducing these types of crimes,” Fallon said.

“The public can help reduce their chances of being a victim by ensuring they lock their homes and vehicles when left unattended, take your valuables out of vehicles and do not leave other valuables in plain sight while unattended,” he said. “Also, watch out for your neighbor’s homes and vehicles when they are not around.”


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