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(Updated 8:30 p.m.) WESTPORT, Conn. – A Norwalk man who ran from Westport police Wednesday morning after trying to withdraw money from a flagged bank account was captured two hours later and charged with attempted larceny, police said.
The suspect, identified as 28-year-old Eric Christian, tried to withdraw cash from an account that had insufficient funds and a security warning, Westport Police Capt. Sam Arciola said in a news release. Christian was accompanied by a West Haven woman at the time, Arciola said.
Bank personnel called police and provided the license plate number of the vehicle Christian was driving, as well as a description of the suspects. Officer Ned Batlin later saw the vehicle on Post Road East and followed the suspects into the rear parking lot at 728 Post Road East. As Batlin approached the car, Christian got out and ran into the woods, Arciola said. The female passenger, identified as 22-year-old Candace Zulawski, was taken into custody without incident, he said.
Westport police officers and detectives set up a perimeter in the area of Hillandale Road, where Christian ran into the woods, and a state police K9 unit was called in to help track him, Arciola said. State troopers also assisted in the search, Arciola added.
Christian was found two hours later in the rear wooded area of a home on Hillandale Road, Arciola said. It was later discovered he was wanted by Adult Probation for violating probation, and by the Darien Police Department for felony identity theft and forgery charges.
Evidence seized from the car indicates Christian had been using people’s personal information to facilitate identity theft related crimes, Arciola said. He was charged with the following felonies: criminal attempt at third-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit third-degree larceny, seven counts of third-degree identity theft and trafficking personal information. He was also charged with interfering with an officer and criminal impersonation, both misdemeanors, as well as violation of probation.
Christian was unable to post a $150,000 bond for the criminal charges and a $25,000 bond for the probation violation, and was held at the Westport Police Department. He is scheduled to appear in Norwalk Superior Court on July 26.
Zulawski was charged with criminal attempt at third-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit third-degree larceny, both felonies. She was unable to post a $10,000 bond and was held at police headquarters. She is scheduled to appear in court July 27.
Comments (21)
Great work Westport and State PD ...Do you have anyone that would like to work in Norwalk as we sure could use a few professionals
Amazing how Westport can catch them in 2 hours and Norwalk cant catch then in 4 years
because its the only one Westport has had to catch in 4 years.
Because westport unlike Norwalk doesn't let it get out of control and then accept failure from its police department
timmy the one string banjo
Great when all one can come back with is stupid replies that just proves my post is correct.
only one string, yet always out of tune...
Once again
Great when all one can come back with is stupid replies that just proves my post is correct..
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
What happened was your original post was so ridiculous that everybody assumed you were joking and responded with some humor of their own.
But on a serious note, if you think that things are so bad in Norwalk, how about being part of the solution? Become a Police Officer, if you can pass the physical fitness and written tests.
I love it when one critiques a failed police department and some moron responds with become a cop. Let me ask you a question if you brought you car to the garage to be repaired and they did not fix it correctly would you become a mechanic ...OF COURSE NOT...Same thing here, I pay taxes and lots of them for the police do what they are over paid to do and the are compete and total failure
NOW DOES THE PUPPET STOOGE UNDERSTAND??
Because westport unlike Norwalk doesn't have any housing projects and a population of over 85,000. Westport has under 24,000 people...BIG difference there.
Funny last I check East Norwalk had no housing projects..Why don't you stop with the same excuse of the house projects over and over again and say the truth that the NPD is a complete and total failure. .It is because of citizens like you that the NPD is allowed to continue to not do what they are overpaid to do. In the private sector as in the real world if you don't do our job you get fired and excuses don't work..
Norwalk is Norwalk...East Norwalk, South Norwalk, West Norwalk, Rowayton are all part of NORWALK. Do you understand?
NORWALK has projects, NORWALK has OVER 85,000 people, NORWALK is a CITY, not a TOWN...understand? NO? I didnt think so.
Let me help you understand Norwalk is a city on Connecticut standards however 85000 people in most parrts of this country would be considered a town...NOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SCHOOLED ... DO YOU NOW UNDERSTAND? NO? I DIDN'T THINK SO
What is your major malfunction that you can not bring yourself understand that it is up to the police to catch criminals and not the citizens. According to you the police have ZERO responsibilities that they are over paid to do. Are you suggesting we disband the police department?
Bingo ! Plus is was a state dog that captured the suspect.
Oh so you agree that Norwalk should bring in the state PD as I have said time and again...Finally you make some sense.
No, I don't agree with you timmy, nor have I ever! This wasn't about Norwalk, this was Westport.
Thats because you are blind..I just had someone ask me if Broad River is one of the many names that lwitherspoon uses as we could not have 2 people so stupid in town...Hummm I wonder
You guys are too funny!!!!! You guys go back and forth, and back and forth, and back and forth with all this NPD stuff and them doing and not doing their job. Tim T., you sound angry. Did the NPD fail you personally? I ask because you sound very bitter, hostile. Perhaps they have failed to solve a crime for one of your loved ones (family member or friend)?
NOPE
They have failed all of Norwalk except a few fools that have their head in the sand or are being paid to post.