State police seek tips in hit-and-run and burglary cases
September 15, 2024 | By Lisa Scagliotti Vermont State Police again are looking to the public for information that might help solve two new cases in Waterbury – a recent hit-and-run incident on Rt. 100 near Interstate 89, and another convenience store break-in this weekend.
The latest incident happened early Saturday morning, Sept. 14. Police received a report at approximately 1:30 a.m. of a break-in and burglary at the Irving gas station, convenience store and Arandas III restaurant on River Road in Waterbury.
In a press release, Trooper Benjamin Goodwin from the Berlin Barracks described that two individuals drove up to the store. “One slender male ran up to the door and broke the glass window out with a large rock. The male then stole Loon vape products before running back to his vehicle and leaving,” Goodwin writes.
Police did not share any images from store security cameras, but the report does note that there were “several similarities to a burglary that occurred at CrossRoads Beverage and Deli” on Aug. 30. So far no arrests have been made in that incident that’s described in a Waterbury Roundabout news story here.
Goodwin notes that the investigations are active and anyone with information that might assist in solving the cases should contact the Berlin state police barracks at 802-229-9191. In addition, anonymous tips may be provided online at vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.
Driver flees hit-and-run at Exit 10
The other incident took place a week ago when the driver who caused a crash near the southbound offramp at Interstate 89’s Exit 10 in Waterbury fled in their vehicle.
According to a news release issued on Wednesday, Sept. 11, from Trooper David Lambert, the incident happened just before 12:30 a.m. last Sunday on Vermont Route 100.
Driver David Abesa, 20 of Colchester, told police he had just exited the interstate and was entering the intersection with a green light. A vehicle traveling south on Rt. 100 then ran a red light and crashed into the front of Abesa’s 2004 Saturn L300, causing significant damage. The driver of the other vehicle – which also was damaged – then drove off.
Abesa noted the plate number of the vehicle that fled and gave it to police. The vehicle was a white 2014 Ford Focus. The state police press release shared two photos of the car, one showing a sticker on the rear window that has an image of a maple leaf and the words “Maplehurst Farm.”
Lambert told Waterbury Roundabout that he visited the address of the registered owner of the Focus, saw the vehicle, and took the photos (see above/click to enlarge). The vehicle owner, however, refused to talk with police other than to say she was not driving the vehicle at the time of the crash, Lambert said.
Anyone with information that might help investigators in this case is asked to contact Trooper Lambert at the Berlin barracks at 802-229-9191 or provide an online tip at vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.