Willimantic man allegedly left stolen car in Westport

WESTPORT — A Willimantic man allegedly abandoned a stolen car Saturday morning, leading to his arrest in Westport.

An officer noticed an empty car parked in Taylor Place around 6 a.m. Aug. 5 with the window down, transmission in drive and keys in the ignition, according to police. Searching for an owner, another officer noticed a man running along Post Road East near the intersection of Imperial Avenue, dressed in all black clothing and boots and who claimed he was lost, police said.

The man, 24-year-old James Daley, of Valley Street in Willimantic, had been leaving the area of the car, which officers determined had been stolen from Willimantic, according to police. A search showed Daley had a wallet with another person’s license and credit cards, and a state police K-9 unit tracked Daley’s scent from the car to where officers stopped him, police said.

Daley was charged with third-degree larceny, sixth-degree larceny, possession of burglary tools and credit card theft. He was held on a $50,000 bond ahead of an Aug. 16 court date.