Trio Arrested for Stratford Burglaries

Stratford police Tuesday arrested a trio of suspected burglars who they say broke into three Stratford homes in the last week.

The homes were on Vernon Street, Highland Avenue and Marina Drive (see interactive map above), police said.

In the Vernon Street break-in, where the suspected burglars entered through a rear kitchen window, several jewelry items were taken from throughout the house, as well as possibly a laptop computer, according to police.

Ashley Aponte, 19, of Shelton, was the driver in the Vernon Street burglary, police said. She waited in the car as Zeequan Groves, 19, of Bridgeport, and Isiah Gathers, 20, also of Bridgeport, entered the home, police said.

Police said they tracked down the trio after spotting a green Chevy Cavalier Tuesday afternoon traveling on West Broad Street that matched the description of a car to be on the lookout for due to complaints of suspicious activity.

When police pulled the car over they said the car's inside was littered with jewelry.

Though Groves initially told police he just got picked up and didn't know anything about the jewelry, all three suspects would later confess to the burglaries at headquarters, according to police.

Aponte was charged with conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary and released on a promise to appear.

Groves and Gathers face the same charges of:

• third-degree burglary;
• third-degree criminal mischief;
• possession/manufacturing burglar tools;
• second-degree criminal trepass;
• third-degree conspiracy to commit burglary;
• conspiracy to commit criminal mischief;
• conspiracy/burglary tools;
• second-degree conspiracy to commit criminal trespass.

Both Bridgeport men were unable to post $25,000 bond and are due in court Aug. 31.

Information supplied by the Stratford Police Department. It does not indicate convictions. Questions about this police report may be forwarded to jason.bagley@patch.com.