Homeowner on Bike Trails Burglary Suspect

A suspected burglar with a long history of convictions was arrested Wednesday after a Maplewood Avenue homeowner apparently rejected warnings from the suspect that he was a “bad dude” during a bicycle pursuit, said.

Luis A. Otero, 61, of 138 Park St., Hartford, was apprehended on Arnoldale Road near Farmington Avenue at about 10 a.m., police said. Otero was identified by Michael Dalton, 43, who was home at 62 Maplewood Ave. when Otero was inside his basement, police said.

A contractor working at Dalton’s home discovered Otero in the basement, police said, and after Otero left, he was spotted on the sidewalk walking toward Farmington Avenue. Dalton jumped on his bicycle and trailed Otero, who turned east on Farmington toward , police said.

“You don’t want to mess with me. I’m a bad dude,” Otero told Dalton as he followed on his bicycle, keeping a safe distance, police said.

With the chase on, Otero ducked into an alley behind Jimmie's Pizza, police said. He eventually emerged on Arnoldale, where police who were searching the area in a cruiser intercepted Otero after he ran across Arnoldale.

Otero faces multiple charges, including second-degree burglary, criminal trespass and threatening. He was held on $100,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Hartford Superior Court March 17.

Stretching to 2001, Otero has six convictions related to burglaries and narcotics in Hartford, East Hartford and West Hartford, according to court records. He was sentenced to 30 months in jail for second-degree burglary in West Hartford in 2006.

Dalton and a first-floor resident reported nothing missing from the basement, police said.