Source: Homeless man stole Ganim’s SUV

Mayor Ganim's Chevy Tahoe was recently stolen and driven to Kentucky. Mayor Ganim's Chevy Tahoe was recently stolen and driven to Kentucky. Photo: Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media Buy photo Photo: Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Source: Homeless man stole Ganim’s SUV 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

BRIDGEPORT — The 20-year-old who swiped a Chevy Tahoe used by the mayor and his staff and then drove to Kentucky said he was homeless and got lucky when he discovered the keys in the unlocked vehicle, according to a police source.

Meanwhile the Sport Utility Vehicle is back in town after Mayor Joe Ganim’s driver, Detective Ramon Garcia, traveled to Kentucky to pick it up.

A police source said Derrick Johnson accessed the downtown government center rooftop parking lot from the adjacent RBS parking garage to get the black 2015 Tahoe.

The Oak Grove, Ky., police department, which found Johnson and the vehicle and first alerted City Hall to the fact the SUV was missing, has referred questions about the case back to their Bridgeport counterparts.

On Friday a source within the Bridgeport police department said Johnson, who is still being held in Kentucky, claimed he was homeless and stumbled upon the Tahoe while on the hunt for unlocked vehicles.

“He was going to (parking) lots in the city, trying cars,” the source said. “If the door was open he would go in, steal what he could take — anything of value.”

The SUV was a “pool” vehicle used by some of Mayor Joe Ganim’s staff and advisers, and sometimes to transport Ganim as well.

Ganim’s spokesman Av Harris has previously confirmed that the vehicle was left unlocked with the keys inside, though no individual city staffer has been blamed.

The police source said Johnson wound up in Kentucky because he had been spending time with a girl from that state who wanted to return home.

“They’re homeless, hungry,” the source said. “All of a sudden ‘boom’, they hit the jackpot. ... He just got lucky, that’s all.”

Oak Grove police gave Hearst Media an East End address for Johnson. A reporter visited the run down home and an older gentleman there said he did not know anything about Johnson or his arrest.

Johnson also appears to be in trouble in Waterbury. Waterbury police arrested a Derrick Johnson, also 20 with an address in Bridgeport’ s East End, in early September for skipping out on a $35 restaurant check. He was released on a promise to appear in court, then failed to show up.

Johnson remains in Kentucky, but the Tahoe is back in town, confirmed Ganim spokesman Av Harris.

“Detective Garcia went to Kentucky to retrieve the city SUV,” Harris said. “The vehicle is now secure in possession of the city.”

Police Chief Armando “A.J.” Perez had recently ruled out dispatching officers to Kentucky because his department is struggling with overtime.

“No overtime was used in retrieving the vehicle,” Harris said.