Police have arrested four people, including three teens, who are accused of plotting to get a Shelton man drunk and rob him, and then attacking him when the plan went awry.
A 17-year-old girl is accused of luring the victim and getting him drunk, and a man and two teens are accused of beating him during a home invasion.
The victim called police early on the morning of Sept. 8 and said three men attacked him in the driveway of his River Road home.
When police responded to the home, they found the victim, who was bleeding profusely from the head. Emergency crews later transported him to the hospital to be treated for a serious head injury, police said. The victim has since been released from the hospital.
As authorities investigated, they determined that a 17-year-old girl, 19-year-old Shawn Craig and 18-year-old Joseph Cahill, both of North Haven, as well as 22-year-old Robert Torelli, of Branford, and a teenage boy, conspired to rob and assault the victim, police said.
The teenage girl allegedly called the victim to pick her up and drive her to his Shelton home, where she planned to get him drunk so he would be easier to rob, according to Shelton police.
After the victim picked up the teen, her four alleged accomplices followed them back to the victim’s Shelton home.
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Then, the girl sent a text message to them to say the victim was drunk and she would leave the door open, according to police.
When the alleged accomplices approached the victim’s door, he happened to walk outside and they attacked him, hitting him in the head with a fake gun, according to police. They ran off when a neighbor who heard the assault went outside to investigate.
Shelton police warn the public to be aware of your surroundings.
"You've always got to be cognizant of who your surroundings are and who you are with. Make sure that you keep the company you keep," Shelton Det. Christopher Nugent said. "You always have to be mindful that somebody else is trying to take advantage of you."
On Friday, police arrested Craig and Cahill and charged them with criminal attempted robber in the first degree, criminal attempted home invasion and assault in the first degree.
Craig was also charged with carrying a dangerous weapon.
Both were arraigned in Derby Superior Court on Monday.
On Monday, police also arrested Robert Torelli, 22, of Branford and charged him with criminal attempt to commit robbery in the first degree, criminal attempt at home invasion and first-degree conspiracy to commit assault.
The 17-year-old girl was previously arrested in connection with the case and charged with criminal attempt to commit robbery in the first degree, criminal attempt at home invasion and first-degree conspiracy to commit assault.
Police said they expect to make more arrests in the case.
