Sen. Miner Statement on Spike in Juvenile Motor Vehicle Thefts, Crime

Chief Deputy Senate Republican Leader Craig Miner (R-Litchfield) today issued a statement on the recent spike in juvenile motor vehicle thefts and crime, which resulted in the death of a 53-year-old jogger in New Britain on Tuesday night. Early this morning in Glastonbury, a juvenile suspect fired shots at a woman after she confronted the suspect and accomplice on her property as the pair approached her vehicle.

“Unfortunately, we are in a juvenile crime crisis in the state that was completely preventable. My sincere condolences to the family of the innocent jogger in New Britain whose life was recklessly taken away by a 13-time juvenile violent offender this week,” said Senator Miner.

“This issue precedes the 2021 legislative session and has been going on for over a year. Apparently, Connecticut Democrats have chosen to overlook the headlines over the past months. If they did look, they would see stories—all true—of mayhem and violence perpetrated at the hands of juvenile offenders and others. Residents in my district and across the state—Wolcott, Vernon, Glastonbury and New Britain to name a few—see this reality.

“This reality was avoidable. Connecticut Senate Republicans put forward at least seven bills intended to prevent these crimes and punish the offenders. Not one of these measures made it to the Democrat-controlled Senate or House floor. One such bill, S.B. 529, had substantive policy objectives to combat the rash of auto thefts and the juveniles committing them.

“It is time to hold criminals of any kind accountable. Innocent Connecticut residents should not have to pay the price,” he said.