Crime & Safety

Branford Police Arrest Alleged Tire Thieves at Car Dealership

Two men were arrested after reportedly stealing tires and rims off cars on a Branford dealership's lot.

 

The following is a press release from the Branford Police Department

Branford Police arrested two thieves stealing tires early Saturday morning, hopefully ending a spree of thefts from a Honda dealerships in Branford and throughout the Connecticut and tri-state area. 

Find out what's happening in Branfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

During the month of March there were three thefts or attempted thefts of tires and rims from Branfon Honda at 515 West Main Street. Police departments in Wallingford, Milford, and Watertown have all investigated similar thefts from Honda dealerships in their towns. As part of the investigation Branford Police officers and the department’s Crime Analyst determined all of the thefts were occurring on Friday and Saturday nights during the early morning hours and that the thefts in Watertown involved an older model, tan, Nissan Altima. 

Late Friday, March 29, Branford Police officers conducted an intensive surveillance of Branfon Honda using both night vision and the department’s new encrypted radio communications equipment. At approximately 3:00 a.m. on the morning, officers observed the tan Nissan enter into the area of Jefferson Road, park along side of the Branfon dealership and watched as one of the thieves entered the property and began removing tires and rims from a new Honda parked on the dealer’s lot.

Find out what's happening in Branfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Moments later police apprehended and arrested both Damian Liberda (DOB 12/6/1981) of 70 Bisphop Curve, Berlin and Athanasios Hasiotis (DOB 8/22/1983) of 28 Brian Patch Drive, Berlin.

Chief Kevin Halloran said that these arrests exemplify progressive policing by today’s standards. “Our agency continues to couple crime analysis, predictive policing, state-of-the-art technology and good police work by dedicated officers to bring repeat offenders to justice.”

Hasiotis was charged with Criminal Attempt to Commit Larceny, 3rd., 53a-49/53a-124 and Conspiracy to Commit Larceny 3rd, 53a-48/53a-124 and was later released on a $1,500 bond.

Liberda was charged with Criminal Attempt to Commit Larceny 3rd., 53a-49/53a-124, Conspiracy to Commit Larceny, 3rd., 53a-48/53a-124 and Criminal Trespass, 3rd., 53a-109.  Liberda, who has an extensive criminal history of similar crimes and has two pending cases from Danbury and Canton is held on a $15,000 bond and will be arraigned in New Haven court Monday morning.

________________________________________________________________________________________

"Like" us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Sign up for our free daily newsletter

________________________________________________________________________________________


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.