Suspects attempting to steal cooking oil in Old Saybrook flee in rental truck and beat elderly driver

OLD SAYBROOK, CT (WFSB) – Suspects attempted to steal cooking oil in Old Saybrook and struck an elderly driver in Westbrook as they drove away, police say.

Police say the suspects were in a rental truck from a Home Depot Thursday morning when the incident began. The truck was also found stolen.

As he came to work, restaurant owner Stavros Gianitsos saw a van parked in front of the restaurant, then he saw someone in the truck and a young man in the back, siphoning cooking oil from ‘trash.

He yelled at him, then the man got back into the truck.

“People make a lot of money with it. They clean it up and do anything with it and then resell it,” Gianitsos said.

The elderly driver they hit suffered minor injuries, police said.

They managed to get away on Interstate 95 and into Fairfield.

State police set up stop sticks; however, the suspects drove past them and into some woods.

As they exited the vehicle, they were apprehended.

Prince Gonzalez, 26, of Yonkers, New York, was arrested and charged with pursuit, driving a motor vehicle with a suspended license, two counts of criminal trespassing, two counts of criminal trespassing, two counts of attempted sixth degree robbery, two counts of conspiracy to commit theft and interference and possession of stolen property worth more than $4,000.

Leuri Blanco, 21, of Bronx, New York, was arrested and charged with two counts of criminal trespassing, two counts of attempted sixth-degree robbery, two counts of conspiracy to commit theft, interference and possession of stolen property worth more than $4,000.

“Connecticut State Police have additional charges related to the Westbrook escape accident and the Westport criminal arrest,” Old Saybrook Police said.

Police said the pair were being held by Old Saybrook Police on $50,000 bond.

They are due to appear in Middletown Superior Court on Friday.

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