New Bedford Man Arrested In Connecticut for Car Theft

A New Bedford man is arrested after police say he stole a car in Connecticut.

According to the New Haven Register, 18-year-old Esteban Melendez was arrested early Tuesday morning after surrendering to a Branford, Connecticut police officer in the driver's seat of a 1999 Honda Civic.

The officer was on patrol in a Branford neighborhood before 5am when he was drawn to the Honda Civic, noticing there wasn't any morning dew on it like the other cars parked nearby. As the officer investigated, Melendez popped up in the driver's seat and put his hands up. The car's steering wheel was missing and the car was running without any keys in the ignition. The car had been stolen from a West Haven home.

Police found a small bag of marijuana in the possession of Melendez, who provided police with a false name.

Melendez has been charged with first-degree criminal trover, third-degree larceny, possession of less than one-half ounce of marijuana, and interfering with police. He was ordered held on $10,000 bail.