New Britain Man Charged in Rash of Southington Car Burglaries

A New Britain man already charged in connection with a motor vehicle theft that included leading police on a chase before crashing is now in deeper trouble after Southington police said Monday that evidence tied him to a string of burglaries in Southington earlier the same night.

Fernando Viera, 27, was served a warrant during a court appearance Thursday and is facing charges in Southington that include 10 counts of third-degree burglary, seven counts of sixth-degree larceny, nine counts of third-degree criminal mischief and conspiracy charges to each count.

He remains in state custody at the Hartford Correctional Center in lieu of $360,000 in bonds, according to state Department of Correction records.

Viera, of 182 Sexton St. in New Britain, was tied to the crimes after an accident on Dec. 5 in Plainville, where police found him in possession of multiple items that had been taken from various cars at Queen’s Terrace and Southington Manor, Southington Police Sgt. Jeffrey Dobratz said Monday.

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“On Dec. 5, police responded to numerous apartment complexes on Route 10 for reports of vehicle break-ins,” Dobratz said. “Plainville also had break-ins approximately two miles north, sometime during the overnight hours. We had a total of eight cases in all.”

According to police reports, evidence later discovered by Plainville police tied him to direct break-ins in which Viera allegedly would smash car or truck windows to gain access to the vehicle.

The police report said he took wallets and pocketbooks, iPad/iPod electronics and accessories and several GPS systems. In one car, he failed to find anything of value to take.

But when he was caught in relation to another theft in Plainville early on Dec. 5, it led to a chase that ended when the car he was in flipped on it’s roof and onto a lawn on East Maple Street in Plainville. Police said Viera was driving and he was one of three who were arrested after police were forced to initiate a search.

Viera is facing charges of first-degree larceny by possession, first-degree conspiracy to commit larceny, second-degree criminal trover, second-degree conspiracy to commit criminal trover, interfering with an officer, risk of injury to a minor, reckless endangerment, failure to grant right of way, failure to obey the signal of an officer, traveling too fast for conditions, passing on the right and breach of peace in the case.

Dobratz said Monday that Plainville police discovered many of the stolen objects in the car and reached out to Southington police after learning they may be seeking Viera.

“They were extremely cooperative and it helped lead to the arrest,” Dobratz said. “There could be other charges coming related to this case.”

Viera is die back in Bristol Superior Court on March 21, according to court records.

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