The suspects in a recent string of thefts from the Ralph Lauren store on Elm Street during what appears to be yet another attempted larceny Sunday were confronted by authorities and crashed into a police vehicle downtown before abandoning their own car and fleeing on foot, officials said.
Suspects in an Oct. 7 larceny at the Ralph Lauren store on Elm Street. Photos courtesy of the New Canaan Police Department
The incident unfolded at about 3:20 p.m. on Oct. 13, as an off-duty New Canaan Police officer worked in the high-end clothing store at 51 Elm St., according to a press release.
There, the officer saw three suspects fitting the description of those accused of stealing more than $8,000 in merchandise from the store in three separate incidents earlier this month. A woman approached the front of the store and, on seeing the officer, “immediately returned” to a vehicle waiting in a no-parking zone on Elm, the press release said.
A man then “entered the store and the officer made contact with the male and immediately upon speaking with the male he abruptly left the store and got into the waiting vehicle.”
Suspect in an Oct. 4 larceny at the Ralph Lauren store on Elm Street. Photos courtesy of the New Canaan Police Department
“The vehicle then took off at a high rate of speed heading west on Elm Street towards Park Street. Responding officers at the request of the off duty officer who was working at Ralph Lauren approached the area of Cherry Street and Park Street in an attempt to make contact with the suspect vehicle. An officer was traveling westbound on Cherry Street approaching the intersection of Park Street when he observed the suspect vehicle turn onto Cherry Street from Park Street at a high rate of speed. As the suspect vehicle began traveling on Cherry Street it drove straight at the police vehicle at a high rate of speed, the officer attempted to turn away from the suspect vehicle but was not able to avoid being struck by the vehicle.”
Suspects in an Oct. 7 larceny at the Ralph Lauren store on Elm Street. Photos courtesy of the New Canaan Police Department
After hitting the police vehicle, the getaway car drove onto the sidewalk in front of St. Aloysius Church, struck a sign, drove onto the grass in front of the church and then continued eastbound on Cherry, police said.
Shortly thereafter, a Hillside Avenue resident reported that the vehicle was parked in his or her driveway, unoccupied and running, with heavy damage and that “the suspects were observed running towards Forest Street.”
“Area department K-9s arrived to search for the suspects but contact was not successful,” police said.
The getaway car, a gray Acura sedan, had a stolen license plate AR-37641.
The police investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Sgt. Scott Romano of the NCPD Investigative Section at 203-594-3523.