State police have arrested a man in connection with a series of tire and wheel thefts from a commuter lot in Cheshire where several people left their vehicle and returned to find them propped up on wooden blocks.
Aneudi Sifuentes, 20, of Middletown was arrested Tuesday and charged with two counts of third-degree larceny, according to Connecticut State Police.
The warrant affidavit supporting the charges indicates police received three complaints between June and July from individuals who reported having their tires and wheels stolen after leaving their vehicles at a commuter lot off of Interstate 84 near Exit 26. The vehicles included an Acura TLX, a Honda Accord and a Toyota Corolla. State police said the wheels and tires stolen from the vehicle were collectively valued at more than $10,000.
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, state police found that the blocks used to prop the vehicles up as the wheels were stolen were prepackaged fire wood commonly sold at gas stations and supermarkets. Investigators visited gas stations close to the thefts and were able to review video surveillance footage that allegedly showed a blue Acura TSX pulling up before two people wearing ski masks and gloves got out.
One of them could then allegedly be seen taking four packages of fire wood and loading them into the vehicle before it was driven away in the direction of the commuter lot, the warrant affidavit said.
During the investigation, state police also identified multiple accounts on Facebook Marketplace that were used to list wheels and tires for sale as well as a 2005 Acura TSX that appeared to be the same one seen on the gas station surveillance, according to the warrant affidavit.
Investigators combed through other users who were “friends” with the accounts that were selling the items and reached out to investigators with the Danbury Police Department, the warrant affidavit said. State police said a Danbury detective who assisted is “known for locating people based on their photographs,” according to the warrant affidavit.
Though multiple redactions were made to the warrant, this nexus appears to have led state police to identify Sifuentes as a suspect. After combing through Sifuentes’ Facebook page, investigators allegedly found that he recently listed a set of Toyota Camry wheels and tires for sale, according to the warrant affidavit. They also allegedly found a second post that was listing Honda wheels for sale, state police wrote.
Investigators found that Sifuentes was being monitored on house arrest in connection with a criminal case he had pending at the time, according to the warrant affidavit. Though he was equipped with a GPS bracelet, state police said his supervising officer indicated he has a history of “slipping” the bracelet and has been known to leave his home without it, the warrant affidavit said. The supervising officer also told police the wheel and tire thefts that were being investigated were “very similar” to his previous arrests, according to the warrant affidavit.
The officer conducted a home visit with Sifuentes and told state police that his GPS bracelet felt loose, the warrant affidavit said. The officer also reported seeing various tools and sets of wheels and tires in the home, according to the warrant affidavit.
Investigators also said in the warrant affidavit that they used search and seizure warrants for Facebook and cell phone accounts to allegedly link Sifuentes to the thefts. They said they were able to identify a suspected “associate” in the thefts.
According to state police, authorities are still investigating and anticipate additional arrests.
Sifuentes was held on a $45,000 bond following his arrest and was expected to appear in Meriden Superior Court on Thursday.
