Two men have been accused of robbing a supermarket in Bridgeport at knifepoint on Thursday before leading police on a pursuit that ended in a crash in Woodbridge.
Osvaldo Beard-Beltran, 30, of North Haven and Giovanni Rivera, 35, of New Haven each face charges in a robbery reported at Gala Foods Supermarket at 1457 Fairfield Ave., according to the Bridgeport Police Department.
Officers responded to the supermarket around 9:30 a.m. when Beard-Beltran and Rivera allegedly started walking out of the store without paying for about $500 worth of meat they had in a shopping cart, police said. Some of the meat had been freshly cut for them by the butcher.
When an employee attempted to stop the men, Beard-Beltran allegedly pushed the shopping cart out of his grasp, pulled a large knife from his waistband and slammed the blade down on the cart, according to police. Police said the employee suffered a minor hand injury.
A second employee confronted the men outside the store as they were loading the meat into a white Volvo, police said. Police allege Beard-Beltran pointed the knife at the employee and threatened him.
Police said the Volvo was later spotted by an officer before the vehicle was pursued by Bridgeport police and Connecticut State Police on Route 8, the Merritt Parkway and the Wilbur Cross Parkway. The pursuit ended when the vehicle got off the highway and crashed into a UPS truck in Woodbridge, according to police.
Rivera was arrested at the crash site.
Beard-Beltran allegedly fled to a nearby car being driven by a woman, police said. He was taken into custody after he was unable to open the driver’s side door, police said.
According to police, investigators allegedly found the knife they believe was used in the robbery in the Volvo. Authorities believe the stolen meat was sold to a small store in Bridgeport before the pursuit.
Beard-Beltran faces charges of second-degree robbery, carrying a dangerous weapon, third-degree assault, second-degree threatening, second-degree breach of peace, sixth-degree larceny, illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle and engaging police in a pursuit. His bond was set at $100,000.
Rivera was charged with conspiracy to commit second-degree robbery, illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle and conspiracy to commit sixth-degree larceny. His bond was set at $50,000.
The robbery is still under investigation.
The crash investigation is being handled by the Woodbridge Police Department.