A man has been arrested in connection with the theft of a Vermont State Police cruiser and patrol rifle in Rutland City.
Timothy Gabriel, 29, was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon after he was seen walking on Cherry Street in Burlington at around 4:30 p.m. According to a press release issued by state police that night, Gabriel ignored orders from police to surrender and “had to be subdued by troopers.” State police did not describe the manner in which he was subdued.
Gabriel, whose most recent addresses were in Burlington and Rutland, was expected to face a federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm for the theft of the patrol rifle, according to state police. Additional charges are possible.
The cruiser had been parked outside a residence in Rutland City when it was stolen between 2 a.m. and 4:40 a.m. Tuesday. It was recovered later that day in the city, but the rifle remains missing. Both were assigned to Cpl. Christopher Loyzelle, according to the release.
On Tuesday afternoon, police investigating the incident surrounded a home on West Street in Rutland, but no arrests were made after an hours-long operation.
Gabriel is expected to appear Thursday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Burlington.
