A man suspected of murder in New London, Connecticut, in December 2017 was arrested in Halifax, Massachusetts on Tuesday morning as police were investigating a string of house and car break-ins.
Jamir Johnson, 18, was arrested at about 3:30 a.m. while police were doing undercover surveillance in the Brandeis Circle area. Authorities said there had been more than four dozen home and car break-ins in the area since May.
Police said they found Johnson riding a bicycle through the neighborhood around 2 a.m., wearing rubber gloves and clothing similar to what had been seen on the break-in suspect in a previous home surveillance video.
Johnson was arrested after a short chase through the woods, according to police.
When police ran his name through their computer, they found that he was wanted in connection with the shooting death of Quvonte Gray on Dec. 9, 2017 in New London and that police there had been searching for him.
Johnson was arraigned later Tuesday in Plymouth District Court on charges including breaking and entering, possession of burglarious tools, failure to identify, resisting arrest, receiving stolen property and being a fugitive from justice.
An arrest warrant for Johnson charges him with murder, possession of a pistol without a permit and unlawful discharge of a firearm, New London police said last year.
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Neighbors in Halifax said they are both relieved and concerned.
"Honestly, it freaks me out, if there's somebody that's lurking in the neighborhood. I think at least the neighborhood people should know," resident Stephanie Jones said.
Kaitlyn Abdou, whose sister's car was broken into, said she wasn't entirely shocked.
"It’s scary but it's not entirely shocking, somebody that’s going to be breaking into cars is going to have some sort of messed up history," she said.
A judge ordered Johnson held on $50,000 bail at his arraignment in Plymouth District Court on the Halifax charges and held without bail on the fugitive from justice charge out of Connecticut.
Johnson waived rendition and is expected to be taken back to Connecticut to face murder charges within the next 10 days.
