Detective Nearly Run Over By Stolen Car

A Harvard police detective investigating a series of recent motor vehicle thefts near the Business School was almost run over Thursday when he approached a stolen vehicle with three men inside, police said.

Detective Thomas Simas, who was working with Detective Hubert "Dick" Estes, was performing a surveillance duty on North Harvard St. near the Business School parking lot at 219 Western Ave. Around three o'clock Thursday afternoon, the two detectives spotted and checked the license plate of a suspicious car, Lt. John F. Rooney said yesterday.

The inquiry revealed that the vehicle was stolen from Boston on October 20, Rooney said. The car may have been used in multiple armed robberies and in a drive-by shooting.

As Simas neared the car, the driver sped forward, and the detective had to leap back into his police car to escape harm, officers said. "It was a little bit hairy for a few minutes, but luckily no one got hurt," Rooney said.

Simas, citing department policy, declined to comment on the incident yesterday.

"When the car started to pull out, the detectives attempted to stop it, but the car fled from them. It refused to pull over," Rooney said. "It went through Allston, Brighton, through Brookline and then they lost it in traffic over there."

Brookline police found the car abandoned Thursday night and contacted Harvard police, police said. The car was towed to the 29 Garden St. Harvard police headquarters where it remained impounded yesterday.

Boston police were slowed in their efforts tofingerprint the car because many detectives wereassigned to protection of the President Clinton,who visited Boston yesterday.

Harvard police said the investigation into thecar thefts is ongoing. Officers said the three meninside the car are being sought not only inconnection with the car thefts but also on chargesof assault with a dangerous weapon for trying torun down Detective Simas, Rooney said.

Police said cars have been stolen"consistently" over the last several months fromthe Business School parking lot. "There'll be oneone week, then nothing for two weeks, thenanother," Rooney said.

A rash of car thefts at the Business Schoolparking lot resulted in the arrest of one suspectin March. On March 9, five cars were damaged orstolen

Boston police were slowed in their efforts tofingerprint the car because many detectives wereassigned to protection of the President Clinton,who visited Boston yesterday.

Harvard police said the investigation into thecar thefts is ongoing. Officers said the three meninside the car are being sought not only inconnection with the car thefts but also on chargesof assault with a dangerous weapon for trying torun down Detective Simas, Rooney said.

Police said cars have been stolen"consistently" over the last several months fromthe Business School parking lot. "There'll be oneone week, then nothing for two weeks, thenanother," Rooney said.

A rash of car thefts at the Business Schoolparking lot resulted in the arrest of one suspectin March. On March 9, five cars were damaged orstolen