Early Friday morning, May 1, 2020, Trumbull Police apprehended two (2) men on Edison Road after a resident reported seeing them stealing valuables from unlocked cars that were parked in nearby driveways. Just after 1:00 a.m., officers arrested Joseph Amaral, age 21, of Sylvan Street, Bridgeport, and Jesie Rojas, age 24, of Howe Street, New Haven, when they were observed walking in the area.
A resident, who had contacted the Trumbull Police, reported that they had received an alert on their security system, and then observed the men walking near the resident’s vehicles that were parked in their driveway. An interior light to a vehicle parked in a neighbor’s driveway had also been observed to be turned on.
Officers arrived in the area and located the men walking in the rain on Edison Road, and away from the resident’s property. When stopped by officers during this early morning hour the men told the officers that they “wanted to get out of the house and go for a walk.” Officers located a woman’s change purse in Amaral’s pocket, and several items of personal property in his pocket and in a backpack that he was carrying. Officers actively investigated the area and located numerous other unlocked vehicles parked in residential driveways that had also been rummaged through.
Rojas and Amaral were then both taken into custody. Rojas was charged with Conspiracy to Commit Burglary. Amaral was charged with two (2) counts of Burglary, and Larceny 6th Degree. Rojas and Amaral were each held on a $10,000 bond, and are both scheduled to appear in court on May 27, 2020, at the Bridgeport Superior Court.
Amaral was also found to have two active warrants for his arrest. One for the charges of Escape and Burglary 3rd Degree issued by the Connecticut State Police – Troop I, and the second outstanding warrant was also for Escape and Burglary 3rd, issued by the Department of Corrections Parole Fugitive Unit.
Both men have had numerous run-ins with law enforcement and have lengthy criminal records. Rojas’s criminal history includes arrests for the Theft of a Firearm, Risk of Injury to a Minor, Assault, Larceny, and Criminal Trespass. Amaral’s criminal history includes arrests for Burglary, Criminal Mischief, and Probation violations.
The Trumbull Police would like to remind all residents to ALWAYS LOCK YOUR VEHICLES, remove all packages and valuables, and never leave their keys inside. As always, please report anything suspicious as it occurs.
Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact the Trumbull Police Department directly at (203) 261-3665.