WESTPORT–A Waterbury man and woman and a 17-year-old suspected of taking part in car thefts were arrested by Westport police when they stopped at the Compo Shopping Center, 397 Post Road East, on April 29, police said.

Police in other agencies had reported about 2 p.m. that two SUVs traveling in tandem  were suspected of being involved in the attempted thefts, police said. One of the vehicles, an Infiniti QX50 SUV, was reported stolen from Waterbury apparently without keys, suggesting that the thief or thieves used a key-programming computer to create a new electronic key fob, police said.

The two vehicles were seen in New Canaan, where two masked individuals reportedly got out and attempted to steal another car.

Shortly after that, a Westport officer spotted one of the vehicles, a 2025 Mazda CX-30 SUV, traveling north on the Sherwood Island Connector. Police tracked the car until it parked at the shopping center, when officers detained Aniyah Resto, 19, and Dwayne Watson Jr., 20, both of Waterbury, and the 17-year-old juvenile, according to police.

“Observed in plain view within the passenger compartment of their vehicle were a ski mask as well as an ‘Autel’ key programming device,” Westport police said in a statement.

All three were charged with conspiracy to commit larceny of a motor vehicle (first offense), a felony. The teenager was processed, assigned a court date and released to a parent.

Resto and Watson were released on bond of $7,500 each and are scheduled to appear in Superior Court in Stamford on May 13.

 Court records show that Resto also faces several charges stemming from an April 13 incident in Waterbury: First-degree burglary-bodily injury, second-degree larceny and risk of injury to a child, all felonies; and third-degree assault and second-degree breach of peace, both misdemeanors.