West Hartford Police: On-Star Helps Catch Car Thief Suspect

A 21-year-old man has been charged with stealing a vehicle from West Hartford after he was apprehended Friday by Hartford Police. The vehicle's location was tracked down with the help of its On-Star security system.

According to West Hartford Police, at 6:36 a.m. Friday, a Ledyard Rd. resident reported that a red 2007 GMC Acadia had been stolen from his driveway overnight. The resident told police that he thought a spare key was left in the car, and also believed that the vehicle had been left unlocked.

Because the vehicle had an On-Star system, police were able to use it to track the vehicle, which was initially located in the area of Victoria Rd. in Hartford. West Hartford Police contacted Hartford Police, and according to the report the vehicle was then located at Broad and Madison streets.

Police observed a man enter the vehicle and drive onto Lincoln St., where according to police the driver hit a parked car on the side of the road and then abandoned the vehicle. 

According to the report, Hartford Police used a K-9 and Taser to apprehend the driver, who has been identified as Efrain Quinones. He was taken into custody by Hartford Police on charges associated with possession of a stolen vehicle.

Quinones sustained minor injuries while fleeing police, the report stated, and was transported to Hartford Hospital for treatment. There was minor damage both to the Acadia and to the parked car.

West Hartford Police are also planning to charge Quinones with the theft of the vehicle.

Other vehicles in the Ledyard Rd. vicinity were also burglarized, and West Hartford Police said they are investigating whether Quinones could be involved in those incidents.

West Hartford Police have also issued a warning and reminder to residents to lock their vehicles when unattended since many car burglaries have occurred to vehicles left unlocked overnight in residential driveways.