COLCHESTER, Vt. — A Burlington man has been arrested following a series of vehicle thefts and police chases across Chittenden County, including one theft just hours after his release.
The events unfolded early Wednesday morning when Colchester police were alerted about a stolen vehicle at approximately 6:30 a.m. Police later spotted the vehicle on Lower Mountain View Drive, but the suspect fled from the officers, leading them on a short pursuit. The vehicle was later discovered abandoned on Autumn Pond Way in Essex.
Around 11:30 a.m. the same day, Essex police received a report of a suspicious male seen outside a home on Discovery Road. With the help of a Burlington police canine unit, authorities tracked down the suspect, later identified as 33-year-old Shawn Burnett of Burlington.
Burnett was found behind Bob’s Auto Center on Colchester Road in Essex. Police determined he was the driver of the stolen vehicle earlier in the day and arrested him. Burnett was arraigned on Thursday for charges including eluding law enforcement, aggravated operation without the owner’s consent, and driving with a suspended license.
However, later in the afternoon, officers were notified about another stolen vehicle outside the Maplefields Convenience Store on Roosevelt Highway. Surveillance footage led police to identify Burnett as the suspect. Burnett then went to the Colchester Police Department just over an hour later to pick up items previously held after his initial arrest. Upon his arrival, officers arrested him again. The stolen vehicle was located in the parking lot next to the police station.
Burnett is currently being held at the Northwest Regional Correctional Facility. He now faces additional charges of grand larceny, operating without the owner’s consent, violating the conditions of his release, and driving with a criminally suspended license.
