A resident contacted West Hartford Police after receiving an alert on his cellphone and capturing images of the suspect on video.

By Ronni Newton

West Hartford Police arrested a Hartford man early Thursday morning and have charged him with breaking into four vehicles overnight in the area of Beverly Road, Dorset Road, and Vanderbilt Road.

According to Lt. Michael Perruccio, a Beverly Road resident received an alert on his cellphone at approximately 3:15 a.m. Thursday and contacted police after seeing the video that captured an image of a man entering the resident’s driveway and trying unsuccessfully to open the doors on both sides of the vehicles that were parked there, and then departing in the direction of Farmington Avenue.

The resident showed police the video, and additional responding units were also given a description of the suspect.

An individual matching the description of the suspect was sighted about 15 minutes later, but fled from an officer who was canvassing the neighborhood, police said.

Police established a perimeter and were able to locate the suspect hiding between two parked cars on Frederick Road.

Perruccio said that a state police K-9 had been requested, but West Hartford Police were able to apprehend the suspect before the unit arrived.

“We’re very, very proud of our midnight shift officers,” said Perruccio. “They did a great job getting to the area and finding the suspect.”

The suspect has been identified as Herman Alexander, 53, of Charter Oak Avenue in Hartford. Police recovered merchandise and cash that appeared to have been taken overnight from at least four unlocked vehicles on Beverly, Dorset, and Vanderbilt roads, police said.

Alexander has been charged with four counts of third-degree burglary and four counts of sixth-degree larceny as well as attempted third-degree burglary and third-degree criminal trespass. He is being held on $10,000 surety bond.

Car burglaries seem to slow down when the weather gets bad, Perruccio said, but continue to be a problem in town, primarily with vehicles that have been left unlocked.

“It’s frustrating,” Perruccio said. He said that he and other officers try to spread the message as much as they can for people to safeguard their possession.

“Please lock your vehicle. Don’t leave your valuables in your car. If you have a garage park in the garage and lock your car in the garage,” Perruccio said. Any measures that residents can take including using lights and security cameras can help deter the crime and assist police in apprehending suspects.

“The vast majority of cases involve vehicles being left unlocked,” Perruccio said.

Many of the car burglary suspects are teenagers, Perruccio said, and this particular one was unusual because Alexander is an adult.

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