State Police Nab Two Suspects In High-Tech Heist: CSP

EAST HARTFORD, CT/HAVERHILL, MASS. — Aided by technology and out-of-state law enforcers, Connecticut State Police in East Hartford Monday apprehended two suspects from Massachusetts wanted in connection with a major Apple merchandise heist in New Hampshire.

According to the CSP, at about 7:30 a.m. Monday, Troop C in Tolland was contacted by a detective in the Haverhill, Mass., Police Department.

The Haverhill detective was working with officers from the Plaistow, N.H., Police Department in a search for suspects believed responsible for a "large-scale theft from a business" in Plaistow, N.H.

According to CSP, "approximately $50,000 in Apple merchandise had been stolen from this business and tracking had been enabled on one of the devices."

Utilizing tracking technology from one of the stolen devices, the Haverhill detective contacted Troop C as the device was showing to be on the move in the area of Exit 72 on Interstate 84 westbound.

The Haverhill detective sent an active tracking link to the Troop C desk trooper, who provided real-time information to responding units, police said.

Troop C was further advised a suspect vehicle had not yet been identified, but it was believed to have been two individuals involved, according to police.

"As the tracking data showed real-time location and speed only, troopers were relying solely on verbal communication via radio to locate this vehicle," wrote CSP in a release.

One of the troopers patrolling the highway located a vehicle registered out of Lawrence, Mass., a neighboring town to Haverhill, Mass., and Plaistow, N.H.

The vehicle also had two occupants.

The trooper then observed this vehicle was following too closely to traffic ahead, police said.

Given the observed violation and utilizing current location data as provided by Troop C, the trooper requested real-time speed updates as he initiated a traffic stop on this vehicle.

As the operator complied with the trooper's signal to stop, the real-time speed gradually reduced to zero upon the vehicle stopping on the shoulder of I-84 westbound near Exit 58 in East Hartford.

Other units from Troop C along with Troop H were also on scene shortly thereafter.

The operator was identified as Patrick Cadet, 51, of Lawrence, Mass., and his passenger as Yaritza Sanchez Gonzalez, 29, also of Lawrence, Mass.

Police said Cadet admitted to having stolen property and a search of the vehicle yielded the recovery of 69 devices, totaling a value of approximately $51,000.

Cadet and Sanchez Gonzalez were both taken into custody and transported to Troop C for processing.

Cadet was charged with first-degree larceny and following too closely.

Cadet was held on a $100,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Manchester Superior Court Tuesday, Aug. 13.

Sanchez Gonzalez was charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny and was released on a $25,000 bond.

Sanchez Gonzalez is scheduled to appear at Manchester Superior Court on Aug. 30.

Haverhill, Mass., police and Plaistow, N.H., police were notified of the arrests.

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