Solvay burglary attempt ends in fiery crash, suspect hospitalized

Smoke coming from Perry’s Automotive on Milton Avenue led Solvay police to a burglary in progress late Monday night, and the escape ended a mile away with a wrecked, burning car and a hospitalized suspect. The incident left one longtime auto business with smashed windows, a destroyed front door and soot inside the shop, while nearby businesses on Milton Avenue faced the chaos of a police, fire and crash response in the middle of the block.

A Solvay police officer on patrol noticed the smoke just before 10 p.m. and called in help. Once firefighters arrived, the suspect was still inside the garage. The suspect then jumped into a car at the shop, smashed through a garage door and fled down Milton Avenue.

The getaway ended near All STAR Contracting and Seamless Gutters LLC, where the stolen vehicle crashed about a mile from the auto shop. The car struck a work truck parked at the construction company and then caught fire. Solvay police said the suspect was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, and the person’s name and age had not been released.

Hank Perry, owner of Perry’s Automotive Sales & Service, said his family-run business has been open for 35 years and that he had dealt with break-ins before, but none like this one. When he arrived after receiving a phone alert a little before 10 p.m., he found two cars in the front lot with smashed windows, the front door destroyed, broken glass scattered across the property and soot covering much of the shop interior. Perry said the fire department entering through the front door startled the suspect, who then fled through the back garage door in a stolen vehicle.