A detective working a private duty job helped solve a smash and grab Bridgeport Avenue burglary early Wednesday, according to Shelton police.
About 1:30 a.m. cops were called to the Scooters convenience store at 484 Bridgeport Ave., where they discovered the front door had been smashed and the store burglarized.
Surveillance video showed two men pulling up to the store in a silver Pontiac just prior to the burglary.
Detective Christopher Nugent was nearby, working an overnight private duty job on Bridgeport Avenue, where he saw a silver Pontiac pass by just before the burglary and “happened to take note of the license plate,” police said in a prepared statement.
Shelton police asked other police departments in the area to be on the lookout for the vehicle.
About 3 a.m., Bridgeport cops stopped a vehicle matching the description and alerted Shelton police.
“Shelton Officers responded to Bridgeport and spoke with operator of the vehicle, 21-year-old Kenny Xavier Tapia of Bridgeport,” Shelton police said. “Tapia was wearing very similar clothing to one of the men in the burglary. Burglary tools and rolls of coins were also located in Tapia’s vehicle.”
Tapia was subsequently charged with third-degree burglary, sixth-degree larceny, and second-degree criminal mischief.
Tapia was due to be arraigned at Superior Court in Derby Wednesday.
Updated court information was not available.
Police said additional arrests are expected.
