Burglary of a Business 2024
Police

Police: Burglaries at Two Downtown Post Road Businesses on the Same Night Likely by the Same Thief

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Two downtown businesses, Post Corner Pizza and Jade Nail Salon, were burglarized early Sunday morning, Aug 18, likely by the same person, who took money from both businesses, police said. Darien police gave this account of the two incidents:

At about 2:15 a.m., a surveillance camera recorded a burglar using a ladder to enter Post Corner Pizza (at 847 Post Road) through a skylight. The thief forced open cash registers and took an unknown amount of cash. Only 350 feet away (according to Google Maps) another surveillance camera showed the burglar enter Jade Nail Salon (at 887 Post Road) at 3:12 a.m. Police found signs of forced entry from the rear door. The surveillance recording showed the thief tampering with cameras and stealing an ATM holding an unknown amount of cash in it.

Cameron on Transportation

Reconstruction of Transportation Infrastructure After the Destruction Caused by Recent Flooding in Naugatuck Valley

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You’ve seen the pictures — washed out rail tracks, crumbled roadways, debris and flood damage everywhere. The 1,000-year storm that hit the Naugatuck Valley last week caused destruction of biblical proportions. And the reconstruction will take weeks, possibly months. First off, the CDOT must secure the damaged areas, remove the debris and inspect for structural damage. Where appropriate they’ll replace damaged bridges with temporary spans, pulled from an inventory of such bridges stored for such occasions.

Darien DUI 2024
Alexis Jordan mug shot Alexis V. Jordan

Police: DUI for Greenwich Woman, After Car Hits Pole; Tequila, Marijuana Found in Car

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A 33-year-old Greenwich woman was intoxicated when the car she was driving collided with a telephone pole at the Noroton Heights Railroad Station at about 1:30 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 13, Darien police said. Police did not report any injuries. Police said they found an open bottle of tequila, marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the car. The driver, Alexis V. Jordan, had been arrested in Darien nine years ago, when she participated in a burglary that police termed a home invasion, according to a January 2014 police post on Facebook.

Back to School 2024
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How to Avoid Some Trouble When Shopping Online for College Essentials

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It’s back-to-school season, which means parents and students are probably looking to save on college essentials online. And while the latest deals may save you some time and money, scammers may be looking to test you. — an article on the Consumer Advice section of the Federal Trade Commission website

Back-to-school shopping can add up and if you’re moving too quickly, it’s easy to miss details. For example, the return and refund policies, in case what you get isn’t what you were expecting. Or delivery times and fees, so there are no unwelcome surprises.

Public Safety
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Police: Driver Found Asleep with Engine Running, Charged with DUI

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A 40-year-old man found at 3:30 a.m., asleep in his Jeep Grand Cherokee with the engine running, couldn’t complete standard field sobriety tests and was arrested, Darien police said. Police gave this further account (including accusations not proven in court):

The arrest took place in front of H&L Chevrolet at 1416 Post Road on Sunday, Aug 11. Justin Holliday of Waterbury was charged with driving under the influence. He refused further testing at Darien Police Headquarters. Holliday was released after paying a $175 bond and is scheduled to appear Aug.

Darienites
Smiling Ali Truwit

Swimmer Ali Truwit Wins Hearts and Cheers in Darien. Next Stop: Paris Paralympics

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About 500 Darienites cheered, shouted, clapped, whistled and held flags, signs or phones at a downtown demonstration of support Friday morning for town resident Ali Truwit as she prepares to leave for the 2024 Paralympics in Paris. Truwit said she’s grateful for the support shown at the parade:

“I’m so incredibly grateful and so excited to represent my country and represent this town,” Truwit said at a brief news conference on the sidewalk, surrounded by 500 smiling faces. An enormous American flag, perhaps 100 feet long, hung from a firetruck’s extended ladder. Plenty of firefighters and their fire engines were present at the parade, and at least one truck drove in it. Amid the cheers, Truwit arrived in an SUV, which stopped for about 10 minutes near the front of Grieb’s Pharmacy.

Public Safety
Seniors Phone Emergency Call List Human Services Storms Townwide Emergencies

Caller Impersonating a Cop Scams $2,000 Out of a Homewood Lane Resident

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Someone claiming to be police officer “L.T. Moore” called a Darien resident who was told fines were due for legal violations. The victim sent almost $2,000 to the scammer, Darien police said. According to police, the caller demanded cash or cash equivalents be paid and recommended digital gift cards. The victim complied. Digital gift cards can be used over the phone if information from the card is provided to the receiving party.

Unlocked in Darien 2024
Darien Police Ford Interceptor SUV

A Spate of Vehicle Thefts Since June Prompts an Innovative Tip from Darien Police

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Since June, there have been a higher than usual number of vehicles stolen in Darien — a total of 18 as of four days ago, Darien police announced. In response, police are suggesting various tips, at least one of which is probably new to you. Along with the car thefts, numerous vehicles have been entered, often with thefts of things inside, police said. (A long list of the incidents since July 25 is at the bottom of this article.)

In almost all cases, keys had been left inside the vehicle, police said, adding, “it is important to note” that stolen vehicles are often used in serious crimes in other cities and towns across the state. Obvious and Not-so-Obvious Tips for Protecting Your Property
Darien police recommend that drivers adopt these habits to foil car thieves:

Although you’ve probably heard these before …

Darien Underage Drinking Party 2024
06820 campaign image 09-29-17

Police: Cherry St Woman, 47, Charged After Youth Drinking Party Leads to Loud Noises in Street

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A 47-year-old Cherry Street woman said she knew underage drinking was going on in her home, but didn’t stop it, she said, because parents were present, according to police. Youths were reported walking and screaming in the roadway, with one carrying a large speaker, said police, who went to the scene at 11:10 p.m. on Monday, July 29. Police gave this further account of the incident, including accusations not proven in court:

The underage drinking party was held at 17 Cherry St., where police questioned the homeowner, Jennifer Maher, who was issued a misdemeanor summons charging her with permitting people under the age of 21 to possess alcohol. Police saw empty beer cans and packaging in the back yard and a garbage bin at the residence

Maher is scheduled to appear in state Superior Court in Stamford on Aug. 21.

Holidays

Rain, Rain Sends Away Darien’s Fireworks Display — Postponed to Friday, July 19, If It’s Dry

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Darien’s firework display has been postponed to Friday, July 19, “due to impending inclement weather” the town government has announced on its website. In other words: Rain, rain sent away Darien’s Fireworks Display. Wait a week, and whaddaya say? If it’s dry, that’s the day. Darien’s town fireworks are now scheduled to begin at about 9 p.m. on the 19th.

Darien Motor Vehicles Entered 2024
Police Car

In Darien, July 3 to 5: Four Vehicles Entered, Three Stolen, Two Recovered, One Wallet Missing

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From early morning on Wednesday, July 3 to late in the day on Friday, July 5, four vehicles were entered in town, three were stolen, including one from a supermarket parking lot, and two were found — one close by and the other in Bridgeport, police said. SUV Entered: Early Morning, July 3 — Hope Drive
The owner of a 2016 Volvo XC90 told police that the SUV had been entered in the early morning by a suspect dressed in black. Police were called and spoke to the owner at about 1 p.m. on July 4. The victim discovered that the vehicle had been entered and rifled through. Nothing was reported stolen.

Government & Politics
Zagrodzky Board of Selectmen

Selectmen OK Drawing Up Description of Pear Tree Beach Dredging Project to Put Before Bidding Contractors

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The Darien selectmen recently approved $25,500 to create a bid proposal documenting what steps contractors would agree to do in order to prevent erosion at Pear Tree Point Beach. “The purpose of this request for $25,500 is to really fund [project consultants] Weston & Sampson to go out and develop bid documents,First Selectman Jon Zagrodzky said at the July 1 meeting of the Board of Selectmen. “The bid documents would provide basically all the information that any contractor would need to bid on this project — these parts — and then hopefully we would have a number of bidders and we would be able to select a low-cost bidder. “That beach is at risk. There’s no doubt about it,” Zagrodzky said.

Public Safety

Police: DUI for Man, 32, Who Drove Onto Lawn and Was Tested With Twice the Legal Limit of Alcohol

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Police said a 32-year-old intoxicated Bridgeport man mistook a driveway on Midbrook Lane for the roadway on Friday, July 5; then he drove onto the front yard. Police gave this account, including accusations not proven in court:

The man was driving on Midbrook Lane, near Leroy Avenue, when the accident happened. The homeowner called police, who did not give the time of the incident. When officers arrived, they saw that the driver was unsteady on his feet and he smelled of alcohol. He failed to perform sobriety tests adequately and was arrested on a charge of driving while intoxicated and failure to drive on the right side of the road.

Public Safety
Darien Police Ford Interceptor SUV

Police: Woman Charged with Shoplifting at Darien Supermarket in 2022 Arrested on a Warrant on Saturday

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A 62-year-old woman was arrested in a warrant July 6 after stealing merchandise at Whole Foods Market on Feb. 6, 2023, Darien police said. Police gave this account, including accusations not proven in court:

In February 2023 (when the woman was 61), a manager in the supermarket at 150 Ledge Road told police that an older woman was seen stealing store items and later putting them into a blue 2020 Mazda CX-5. Three days ago, on Saturday, July 6, the woman (who lives on Summer Street in Stamford) was arrested on a warrant, apparently after turning herself in at Police Headquarters. She is charged with sixth-degree larceny and is scheduled to appear July 19 in state Superior Court in Stamford.