Public Safety
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Masked Male Entered a 2026 Mercedes Parked on Ridge Acres Road — Nothing Taken

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A man dressed in black and wearing a mask entered a 2026 Mercedes-Benz parked by a house somewhere on Ridge Acres Road, the victim told Darien police. Police went to the scene at 4:28 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 2. Nothing was taken from the vehicle, police were told. Police didn’t say where on the road the incident occurred or give a time range for when it may have occurred or say whether someone saw the thief or saw video surveillance of the incident.

Darien Motor Vehicle Break-ins 2025
Darien Police Ford Interceptor SUV

Window Shattered on SUV Parked at Residence on West Avenue, Wallet Taken

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A wallet was stolen after a thief smashed a window of a 2019 Nissan Rogue SUV parked outside a house somewhere on West Avenue, Darien police said. The victim discovered the theft on Saturday, Jan. 4. Police went to the scene at 4:18 p.m. Police did not say in what area of West Avenue the incident took place or the time span in which it occurred. Police have said in the past that nearly all thefts from motor vehicles occur when the vehicle is left unlocked.

Public Safety
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Man Arrested on Fraud-Related Charges in Darien, New Canaan and Norwalk

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A 51-year-old man was arrested last week on forgery other charges after trying to withdraw $7,200 at the Bankwell branch in Darien last May, Darien police said. Along with the May 22 incident in Darien, the man was charged with forgery in New Canaan (on May 11; with an arrest on July 3) and in Norwalk (May 24; and arrested that day), according to the Connecticut Judicial Branch website. Police gave this account, which includes accusations not proven in court:

At about 3 p.m. on May 22 police went to the Bankwell branch at 1065 Post Road, where bank employees said the man had tried to withdraw the money using a phony passport for identification. New Canaan and Norwalk Arrests

At some point, the man, Frank VanDebogart was recognized (police didn’t say how) as someone trying to use the same fraudulent passport at other Bankwell locations, including the Bankwell branch in New Canaan. Police there charged him with second-degree forgery, third-degree identity theft, attempted second-degree larceny and criminal impersonation.

Darien Motor Vehicles Stolen 2024
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Police: Break-In Overnight Thursday to Friday on Garden City Road

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At least two people broke into a home on Garden City Road sometime before 4:30 a.m., Friday, Dec. 20, Darien police said. Police gave this account, including accusations not proven in court:

At 4:30 a.m., police responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle parked on Clock Avenue, which intersects with Garden City Road. They were flagged down by a Garden City Road resident who told them his or her home had just been broken into. The thieves had forced their way in through a front window of the home but were apparently startled by barking dogs.

Aftermath of site of sewer leak at Weed Beach

Zagrodzky: Sewer Line Repaired at Weed Beach, ‘Nearly All’ the 100K Gallons Leaked Was Sucked into Vacuum Trucks

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The leak from the broken sewer line at Weed Beach was fixed at 2:30 a.m., Monday, and crews continued “site restoration” until dawn, First Selectman Jon Zagrodzky announced at about 6 p.m., Monday. About 100,000 gallons of sewage was spilled, Zagrodzky announced on Instagram. “Fortunately, nearly all of it was removed by vacuum trucks from a containment area the work crews created, with no (as far as we can tell) flows into residential areas or Long Island Sound,” he wrote. He added, “Reporting to DEEP [the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection] and other regulators is in progress.” — Darienite.com’s article on Sunday evening about the sewer line break: First Selectman Describes and Records Video of Sewer Main Break at Weed Beach as Crews Work to Contain and Repair It

Full Text
Here’s the full text of Zagrodzky’s post on Instagram:

Sewer line leak at Weed Beach fixed!

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Sewer main break at Weed Beach repair crew

First Selectman Describes and Records Video of Sewer Main Break at Weed Beach as Crews Work to Contain and Repair It

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A sewer line break occurred at Weed Beach Park, apparently on Sunday, and repair crews arrived at the scene, First Selectman Jon Zagrodzky announced on Instagram at about 3 p.m., Sunday. He did not say when the leak started or was discovered, but he did say the situation is “under control.” A team from the Department of Public Works was on the scene, along with “emergency contractors,” Zagrodzky said as part of a series of four posts, three with videos (below) from the park from 3 to 6 p.m. He later praised contractors from Penna Construction and the DPW team. The crews were holding sewage in a depression in the ground, and trucks with pumps were draining sewage out, then transporting it to Stamford’s sewage treatment plant. As of 6 p.m., the crews were excavating in order to get at the leak and repair it, Zagrodzky said.

Car Thefts 2024
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Police: Two Masked Males Steal BMW, Still Wet, From Car Wash

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Two males drove off in a 2024 BMW X5 in a Post Road car wash Monday just before it was supposed to be dried, Darien Police said. Police did not identify the car wash where the incident took place. Darien Car Clinic is at 93 Post Road; Splash Car Wash is at 251 Post Road. Police gave this additional account:

At about 2:46 p.m., an “unknown vehicle” being driven east on the Post Road stopped in front of the BMW and the two males, both wearing ski masks, got out of it and entered the wet car. The males were masked, although they didn’t display any weapons during the incident.

Forgery 2024
Brigid Stanley mug shot

Police: Babysitter, 27, Stole Property Worth $19K and $16K in Credit Card Charges from a Darien Customer

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A 27-year-old babysitter working in a Darien home from June 10 through July 31 made unauthorized charges of $15,890 on her client’s credit cards in addition to stealing property from the victim worth $19,546.54, police said. Darien police gave this further account of the matter, including accusations not proven in court:

The victim told police about the larceny and credit card fraud on July 30. The babysitter, Bridgid Stanley of Tresser Boulevard in Stamford, had been hired through Care.com. Police requested and received an arrest warrant charging Stanley with first-degree larceny, illegally taking payment from a credit card, taking more than $500 from a revoked card, first-degree identity theft and third-degree forgery. Stanley turned herself in on Thursday, Sept.

Rafael Narvaez mug shot

Police: Man, 26, Driving with 3X the Legal Blood-Alcohol Amount, Crashes into Stone Wall and a Parked Car

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A 26-year-old man was charged with driving while under the influence after he struck a stone wall and a parked Lexus on Pratt Island, Darien police said. Darien police gave this account, including accusations not proven in court:

Police arrived at the scene at about 9:48 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 5. Ramiro Narvaez had been driving a BMW X3. Police did not say he was injured in the accident.

Holidays
Sept 11 2023 Encino

AAA: Drivers Traveling for Labor Day Weekend Should Avoid Thursday, Friday Afternoons and Evenings

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When it comes to traffic, car travelers should avoid the most congested afternoon and early evening hours of Thursday and Friday, according to the AAA, citing INRIX, a provider of transportation data and advice. — an announcement from AAA Northeast

Drivers should hit the road in the morning unless they’re leaving on Saturday, when the best time to travel by car is in the afternoon. Travelers returning on Sunday and on Labor Day should leave as early as possible to avoid heavy traffic in the afternoon. “The most severe traffic jams over holiday weekends almost always come as commuters mix with travelers,” said Lauren Fabrizi, spokesperson for AAA Northeast. “Road trippers can pave the way for smooth drives by strategically planning their departures around the best times to hit the road.”

Gas Prices
Travelers taking road trips should expect to pay less for gas compared to last year.

Public Safety
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Tools Worth $9,000 Reported Stolen at Heights Road Construction Site

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Tools valued at about $9,000 were reported stolen on Monday, Aug. 19, from the construction site near Palmers Market, Darien police said. The theft was believed to have occurred between 3 and 6 p.m., two days before, on Saturday, Aug. 17, at the A. Papajohn Company construction site, police said. Police gave the address of the site as 340 Heights Road, the location of Palmers Market.

Darien Motor Vehicle Burglaries 2024
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Two Cars Entered on the Same Night, One — a Luxury SUV — Was Stolen

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A 2024 Porsche Cayenne, unlocked and with the keys inside, was stolen from outside a home on Hollow Tree Ridge Road, Darien police said. A vehicle on Gardiner street was burglarized on the same night, Tuesday, Aug, 13. Police didn’t give the exact address or say where in the longest street in town the luxury SUV was parked. The base price of the 2024 model when new, was $79,200 ($95,700 for the Cayenne S). Police went to the scene at about 5:05 a.m.

The same night, at about 2:51 a.m., items were stolen from a vehicle parked in the driveway of a home 0n Gardiner Street (police didn’t say what part of the street or give the address).