Helicopter pursuit leads to arrest of Mount Kisco thieves

MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. - A trio of suspects were speedy, but they weren’t fast enough to escape the long arm of the law, police said.

Responding to a report of three people trying to break into cars, Westchester County Police arrived around 2 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20, at a parking lot of 333 North Bedford Road in Mount Kisco – a commercial property that most recently welcomed a new supermarket.

When the marked patrol car showed up, the suspects took off in a silver Audi A4 sedan with Connecticut license plates.

The officer tried to stop them on North Bedford Road, but did not pursue them any further because of traffic conditions and “the reckless operation” of the fleeing vehicle.

He phoned in a description of the car and the fact that it was heading onto Preston Way, which leads to Kisco Avenue and then to the Saw Mill River Parkway.

The department’s aviation unit soon spotted the Audi on the highway. It was traveling an estimated 100 mph, police said.

The chopper continued to track the car after it zoomed north onto I-684 and then east on I-84 toward Connecticut.

New York and Connecticut state police got in on the action.

Connecticut state police from Troop A stationed themselves along I-84 in Danbury near the New York state line.

After they spotted the suspects, troopers deployed “stop sticks” near Exit 1. However, the Audi ran over the tire-deflation devices and continued speeding east.

A few minutes later, the car struck a center median and the three suspects fled on foot.

The Danbury community stepped up. Police received multiple 911 calls reporting sightings on Mill Plain Road. The men were located and arrested without incident about ¼ mile away from the scene.

Two of the three were juveniles, police said.

The third person was identified as 18-year-old Antoine Maurice Clark of Meriden, Conn.

Police determined that the Audi displayed a “misuse registration plate of a similar make and model” although the vehicle itself was legally registered and insured.

All three were taken to Troop A headquarters for processing.

Clark was charged with improper use of a registration plate, reckless driving, engaging police in a pursuit, evading responsibility, operating a motor vehicle without a license, and interfering with an officer/resisting arrest.

He was held on a $20,000 bond and was scheduled to appear in Danbury Superior Court on Friday, Feb. 21.

According to police, both juveniles were processed on the same charges and are to appear at New Britain Juvenile Court on Thursday, Feb. 27.

The investigation remains “active and ongoing,” Connecticut state police said.

The WCPD praised the agencies involved in the capture “for their effective communication and skillful collaboration.”

It noted that the case highlighted the importance of aviation units because they eliminate the need for dangerous high-speed pursuits on the ground.

“That minimizes risk to officers as well as the public,” the WCPD said in a social media post, adding: “Aviation remains an invaluable resource for our department and the entire law enforcement community.”