The man arrested after a police chase on Route 8 Wednesday is a suspect in a string of daytime burglaries in Seymour and other area towns.
Police said Douglas Fast, 47, of Stratford, was caught after allegedly burglarizing a home on Patrick Drive in Seymour Wednesday morning.
A resident returning home at about 11:30 a.m. saw a strange car in the driveway, and called 911.
Police stopped the car on Mountain Road, but the suspect drove away as police officers approached his car.
Police chased the car down Mountain Road, along Route 67 and south on Route 8. Police were able to puncture one of the car’s tires by throwing down “stop sticks” on Route 67 near the McDonald’s.
The car’s right rear tire finally disintegrated near exit 19 on Route 8 south, after the suspect drove more than 80 mph trying to get away from police.
The chase lasted about five miles, according to a press release issued by Lt. Paul Satkowski Thursday afternoon.
Satkowski said Fast got out of the car on the highway, and waved his hands as if he had a gun. He allegedly struggled with police as they subdued him.
Two officers received minor injuries. One was taken to Griffin Hospital, and will be out of work for several days, Satkowski said. The other officer didn’t need medical attention.
Satkowski didn’t name the officers or indicate what the injuries were. According to scanner reports, one person had a laceration after the incident.
Fast was charged with first-degree burglary, interfering with an officer, second-degree criminal mischief, brandishing a facsimile firearm, engaging police in pursuit, reckless driving, misuse of registration plates, operating an unregistered motor vehicle and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended drivers license.
He was arraigned at Superior Court in Derby Thursday morning, according to Satkowski.
Fast’s case was continued to Jan. 10, and he remains held on a $150,000 bond, according to the Superior Court clerk.
Suspect In Several Burglaries
Police said Fast had a “large amount” of jewelry and cash on him. Police said the items were taken from the house on Patrick Drive.
The car was impounded, and police have applied for a search warrant to search the car. Wednesday night, police searched Fast’s home in Stratford, and found a “large amount of jewelry” and other items believed to be stolen from homes in Seymour and area towns, such as Shelton, Monroe, Trumbull, Stratford and Orange.
The department has been investigating more than 10 day-time home burglaries that have occurred in the past three months.
Anyone who hasn’t reported stolen items should report it to the police department in their town, Satkowski said.
Satkowski warned residents to remain vigilant, as police are investigating whether other people were involved in some of the burglaries.
“Although Fast has been arrested and is currently in custody, residents should still remain extremely vigilant, continue to take precautionary measures to secure their personal belongings and continue to report any suspicious activity to the Seymour Police Department,” Satkowski wrote in the release.
