Police confronted a man who was trying to open car doors in the Whole Foods parking lot late Monday afternoon and discovered that he and two others had stolen items from multiple vehicles in Darien, police said.
Darien police gave this further account, including accusations not proven in court:
Arrest photo from Darien P.D.
Andres Aldana, 18, was arrested on burglary and other charges on April 22.
Police were dispatched to the parking lot at 150 Ledge Road at 4:28 p.m. after being told a male had gotten out of a black SUV and was trying to open vehicle doors in the lot. Officers found the man fitting the description of the suspect.
The man, later identified as Andres Aldana, gave officers a false name, and he denied looking into or trying to open any vehicle doors. Officers also saw a black SUV fitting the description of a vehicle involved in the incident, driven by a woman who was later identified as Andrea Chirivi Sarmiento. Sarmiento denied any knowledge of the activity. She also gave officers a false name. Both Aldana and Sarmiento were detained by officers as they investigated further.
On searching the black SUV, police found multiple stolen items, including loot from two earlier motor vehicle burglaries in Darien, one of which occurred outside Trader Joe’s, the other, outside Aux Delices.
Photo from Darien P.D.
Andrea Chirivi Sarmiento, 43, was arrested on burglary and other charges on April 22.
Aldana and Sarmiento were arrested at the scene and taken to Darien Police Headquarters.
During the booking process, officers received information about a third person, a male also possibly involved in the thefts. Police were told the man was in the downtown area.
Officers went to the downtown location where they were told to find the man and saw someone matching his description. He was later identified as Manuel Ruiz. Officers confirmed that Ruiz was involved in the thefts from vehicles, and he was arrested and taken to Darien Police Headquarters.
Police determined that Aldana, Sarmiento and Ruiz were involved in multiple thefts from vehicles and other crimes. When they were fingerprinted, Aldana’s and Sarmiento’s actual names were determined. All three subjects had criminal histories.
Arrest photo from Darien P.D.
Ruiz, 43, was arrested on burglary, larceny and other charges on April 22.
The man seen trying to get into parked cars, Aldana, 18, of 123rd Street in Queens, was charged with two counts of second-degree larceny, two counts of conspiracy to commit second-degree larceny and one count of interfering with an officer.
The woman driving the black SUV, Sarmiento, 43, of an unknown address, was charged with two counts of second-degree burglary and one count each of third-degree Larceny, conspiracy to commit third-degree larceny, falsifying a license plate, driving an unregistered motor vehicle and driving without a driver’s license.
The man arrested elsewhere downtown, Ruiz, 43, of Kennedy Street, Queens, was charged with third-degree burglary, conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary, second-degree larceny and possession of burglar tools.
All three subjects were held on $100,000 bonds overnight. On Tuesday they were taken to state Superior Court in Stamford.