POLICE: Half of Cranston Smash and Grab Duo Nabbed

According to Cranston Police, 2 suspects shattered a city store window Tuesday night and made off with merchandise, a cash register drawer and a safe…

At approximately 10:20 PM. last night, the Cranston Police received a call from a vigilant citizen who reported that the Speedy Auto Repair, located at 95 Warwick Avenue was being burglarized by suspects who had smashed out the front store window and entered, quickly removing the cash register drawer, a safe and cartons of cigarettes.

The first officer to respond observed an older model Volvo, color green, quickly speed out of the parking lot with no head lights on and suddenly drive directly at the officer who had to take evasive action to avoid be hit head on.  The officer was then able to get behind the suspect vehicle which had its rear registration plate purposely bent in half designed to obscure view.

As a result of the smash and grab at the business coupled with the reckless and felonious motor vehicle violations, the officer activated lights and sirens and attempted to stop the fleeing vehicle, but the suspect continued northbound on Warwick Avenue to Broad Street into the City of Providence.  The vehicle continued onto Eddy Street where the passenger threw the cash drawer out the window as the officer followed. The suspect eventually made his way onto Route 95 north and still refused to stop.

The officer reported that traffic was light during the pursuit, but at one point, the officer felt the fleeing vehicle was becoming too reckless; therefore, he slowed down and dropped back while trying to remain close enough to maintain visual contact with the suspect vehicle.

A short time later, the officer noticed that there was a motor vehicle accident involving the suspect vehicle at Exit 22 off Route 95 north.  As he approached the vehicle which had overturned, he noticed that the driver and an unidentified passenger crawled out the windows of the vehicle and fled on foot jumping the fence along the shoulder of the highway and running between the Convention Center and the Dunkin Donuts Center.

The Providence Police who had been notified of the entire incident via the intercity communications system reported that they had one suspect in custody on Mathewson Street in the downtown area.  The suspect, who was also the driver, was identified as 35 year old Joseph Card of 11 Carovilli Street in North Providence.   

Joseph Card was charged with Breaking and Entering into a Business in the Nighttime, Felony Assault on a Police Officer, Reckless Driving and Eluding a Police Officer, as well as several traffic violations. Card was arraigned at Kent County Courthouse this afternoon and bail was set at $10,000 with surety and he is scheduled to appear in Providence Superior Court on July 14th .

The motor vehicle accident report was taken by the Rhode Island State Police and when Cranston officers arrived at the accident scene, they seized a black metal safe, cartons of cigarettes, rubber gloves and a screwdriver from the suspect vehicle.  The cash drawer that had been discarded from the vehicle during the pursuit was also seized in this case.  The second suspect in this case is still being sought as the investigation continues.  Anyone with any additional information regarding this case is asked to contact the Cranston Police Detective Division at 477-5139.