Police have been investigating 27 incidents of car break-ins as well as three cars stolen in West Hartford in the past several days.

Jose Monge. Courtesy of West Hartford Police

By Ronni Newton

West Hartford Police have arrested and charged a suspect believed to have been involved with the rash of car burglaries and stolen cars reported on Nov. 18 and Nov. 19.

Jose Monge, 19, of Hartford, was arrested on Nov. 19 at Dan’s Shell at 457 New Park Ave. in West Hartford. West Hartford Police’s patrol division located one of the stolen vehicles, which was in Monge’s possession.

At the same time, according to police, other suspects were seen entering a Volvo, which fled Dan’s Shell. Police said that the Volvo had been reported stolen to Bloomfield Police during a rash of car burglaries that occurred there on Nov. 19.

West Hartford Police Lt. Ted Stoneburner said that all three vehicles reported stolen from West Hartford have been recovered, in addition to the Volvo stolen from Bloomfield.

Property stolen in car burglaries has also been recovered, Stoneburner said.

According to Stoneburner, there were 18 reports of cars broken into in the early morning hours of Nov. 18, and nine more the next night. During that time there were also three vehicles reported stolen from West Hartford, Stoneburner said.

Further investigation is ongoing, and Stoneburner said as many as four to five additional arrests in the burglaries are possible.

Monge has been charged with third-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit third-degree larceny.

Stoneburner cautioned residents to continue to be vigilant about locking their vehicles and keeping valuables out of sight.

“Every one of the vehicles broken into was unlocked,” he said.

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