Ring camera captures attempted robbery in East Haven

EAST HAVEN, CT (WFSB) - A homeowner’s Ring camera recorded a fake delivery driver as he tried to commit a robbery.

Police said it happened in East Haven on Maple Street around 9:45 a.m. on Friday.

The driver and his accomplice have now been arrested.

Police called it an attempted robbery/home invasion.

East Haven police said the suspect, later identified as 37-year-old Xavier Otero, and his accomplice, 26-year-old Jean Carrasquillo-Torres have been arrested.

“The suspect, who posed as a package delivery employee, knocked on the door of the residence and told the homeowner that the package he had belonged to him,” East Haven police said in a social media post. “He then immediately brandished a black handgun and attempted to enter the residence.”

The video showed the homeowner pushing Otero away.

Otero then ran from the home and got into a Dodge Ram, operated by Carrasquillo-Torres. The vehicle peeled out as it drove off.

Police say tips came in quickly after the ring video of the attempted home invasion was released.

East Haven Police followed up on these leads and identified Otero as the suspect shown in the Ring video.

Otero was then located at a family member’s house on Bellevue Street in Hartford and taken into custody.

“Investigators uncovered an alleged plot to take part in a home invasion where the occupants of the residence were going to be restrained with zip ties and robbed,” police said.

Their investigation led them to discover that a second home invasion in Manchester was planned.

Shortly after learning that information, the Dodge Ram pickup truck seen in the video was located at a residence on New Britain Ave. in Hartford.

Police quickly applied for a search and seizure warrant as the threat of another home invasion was imminent.

While surveilling the residence, Carrasquillo-Torres was seen entering the Dodge Ram pickup truck, and his involvement in the crime was confirmed.

As a result of the search and seizure warrant, police say they uncovered approximately 1.1 kilograms of suspected fentanyl as well as a bag full of heavy-duty zip ties, consistent with the information they obtained related to the planned home invasions.

This disturbing home invasion attempt has people living in the Maple Street neighborhood shaken up.

Angelo Chieppo said it’s normally a safe and quiet area.

“You’ve got a park across the street, you’ve got kids there. They play baseball there,” Chieppo said.

After seeing the frightening video he’s on high alert.

“My brother-in-law just came over and I answered the door with a bat,” Chieppo said.

When we showed Michael Frost what happened just a few doors down from where he and his family live, he said he’s going to think twice before answering his door for a stranger.

“I would think that myself and maybe all of us would consider you know, having things dropped at the doorstep rather than in any scenario answering the door to a stranger,” Frost said.

Xavier Otero was charged with:

• Home Invasion in violation of C.G.S. 53a-100

• Threatening in the First Degree in violation of C.G.S. 53a-61aa

• Criminal Possession of a Firearm in violation of C.G.S. 53a-217c

• Criminal Attempt to Commit Unlawful Restraint in the First Degree in violation of C.G.S. 53a-49/ 53a-95

Jean Carrasquillo-Torres was charged with the following:

• Conspiracy to Commit Home Invasion in violation of C.G.S. 53a-48/53a-100

• Conspiracy to Commit Unlawful Restraint in the First Degree in violation of 53-48/53a-95

“Carrasquillo-Torres was also charged with narcotics and weapons related charges for the evidence recovered during the execution of the search and seizure warrant at the New Britain Avenue residence,” police said.

Otero and Carrasquillo-Torres were held at the East Haven Police Department on a $250,000.00 bond and are scheduled to appear in court on April 26, 2023.

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