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Rye police chase ends with 2 arrested

Rye police were involved in a late night chase last week that resulted in two suspects being arrested for allegedly attempting to steal a car, and others yet to be captured.

Rye Public Safety Commissioner Michael Corcoran said police officers responded to a report of suspicious activity on Johnson Place around 2:45 a.m. on Dec. 13, where they witnessed several suspects attempting to steal a car, which prompted a car chase that reached Trails End near Greenhaven Channel.

When police approached one of the suspects in a Lexus SUV, the car that had been stolen from the Johnson Place residence, the suspect smashed into the police car and flipped over. That driver, unnamed, was arrested afterward.

Another suspect in a black Infiniti, which had been reported stolen from a property in New Jersey, then raced east toward Boston Post Road before crashing into a police car. That suspect drove through a lawn on Barlow Lane and continued toward Trails End, where the driver left the stolen car and hopped over a fence toward the Long Island Sound.

Police said they caught up with the suspect, unnamed, and arrested him after chasing him on foot. According to Corcoran, police officers found a loaded handgun in the suspect’s fanny pack.

At the time, the incident ensued a search for other suspects, and as a result, Rye Neck schools were on lockdown for the day. Students in Rye Neck schools were not able to leave their premises and were told the remain indoors.

The Rye City Police Department’s helicopter and canine team were deployed for the incident. Other local police departments including Westchester County, Harrison, and Mamaroneck assisted with the search and foot pursuit.

The two suspects arrested are facing five felony charges, including fleeing police, possession of a firearm, grand larceny, assault on a police officer, and receiving stolen property.

As of press time, there is no further information on whether there may be others suspects in the case.

“We are working with our law enforcement partners in Westchester County, as similar crimes have occurred in other communities,” Corcoran said in a released statement. “I am extremely proud of our Rye Police Department officers for their bravery and professionalism in engaging in these dangerous individuals. I’m also thank our mutual partners for assisting us in this rapidly unfolding chain of events.”