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Fairfield Police: Thief Couldn't Find Tires, Stole Car Instead

FAIRFIELD, Conn. — A New Haven man who couldn’t find the tires he wanted to steal from a Fairfield car dealership decided to drive away with a new car, leading to his arrest Friday, police said.

Ismael Mercado

Ismael Mercado

Photo Credit: Fairfield Police Department

Ismael Mercado, 30, of Ann Street, was charged with first-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny, police said. He was arrested around 10:30 a.m. while in court on another matter.

The arrest stems from a February 2016 incident at the Mercedes Benz dealership on Commerce Drive.

Workers there called police to say someone had cut through a fence and stolen a black Audi S4. The car was later used in a hit and run in New Haven, police said.

In June 2017, police reviewing video footage from the scene and DNA evidence in the car interviewed Mercado, who was serving time in a Somers correctional institution, police said.

He told them that he had entered the car lot to look for a set of tires and, when he couldn’t find the ones he wanted, he took the car instead, police said. He did not admit to being involved in the hit and run.

Mercado’s bond was set at $50,000.

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