Catalytic converters in Darien are again the targets of thieves, who have been stealing them wherever and whenever they can — during the day, at night, at a school parking lot, at an office building parking lot. It’s not just happening in Darien. According to an Associated Press report on Jan. 2:
“Thefts of the exhaust emission control devices have jumped over the past two years as prices for the precious metals they contain have skyrocketed. Thieves can expect to get anywhere from $50 to $300 if they sell the converters to scrap yards, which then sell them to recycling facilities to reclaim the precious metals inside, including platinum, palladium and rhodium.”
A shopper at Trader Joe’s put down her wallet when she was getting her shopping list out of it, then forgot about the wallet — which was stolen, resulting in her bank cards being used. Darien police gave this account of the incident:
The woman called police at 1:09 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 1, before she left the store at 436 Post Road. Police spoke to her there. She said that she’d put the wallet on a food display, then at checkout realized it was missing.
A 51-year-old man living in Norwalk texted a person in Darien in violation of a restraining order on three occasions, Darien police said. Police gave this account of the matter, including accusations not proven in court:
Police spoke with the man “and determined he did make contact with the victim, and that this was a violation of the restraining order,” police said in an announcement. The announcement said the matter was considered a “domestic incident,” indicating the victim was someone who was or had been close to him, possibly someone who had lived in the same household. Officers arrested him on Jan. 31 on a charge of violating a restraining order, a felony.
Students 5 to 11 years old can get their second vaccination shot — or their first — from 12 noon to 3 p.m., Saturday, Schools Superintendent Alan Addley said in his Friday newsletter to parents and staff. This coming week, some of the district’s COVID-19 restrictions will be easing as the number of identified cases continues to go down: Lunches will return to cafeterias and spectators (who must be masked) will be allowed to attend sports games, Addley wrote. Another vaccination clinic for students of any age, with no signup necessary (just walk in), will be held from 12 noon to 5 p.m. at the United Methodist Church, he said. Full Text
Feb. 4, 2022
Dear Families & Staff,
Earlier this week Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of below average temperatures.
A Ridge Acres Road resident told police that his 2020 Mercedes AMG car was stolen from his driveway sometime overnight from Monday to Tuesday, Jan. 24 to 25. The car had been unlocked and with a spare set of keys left inside. The vehicle was tracked with GPS and found (unoccupied) in Parlin, New Jersey, a town about two hours away from Darien. The vehicle was towed from the scene.
Here’s Realtor Deirdre McGovern’s report on Darien and Rowayton real estate from Jan. 27 to Feb. 3, 2022:
THIS WEEK’S DARIEN HIGHLIGHTS
7 New-To-Market Listings
0 Price Reductions
5 Accepted Offers
8 Closed Sales
6 Open Houses
THIS WEEK’S ROWAYTON HIGHLIGHTS
4 New-To-Market Listings
0 Price Reductions
1 Accepted Offers
1 Closed Sales
2 Open Houses
New Listings
15 Stanley Road, Darien | $745,00052 Fairfield Ave., Darien | $1,199,000212 West Ave., Darien [PICTURED] | $1,200,00089 Buttonwood Lane, Darien | $1,225,00018 Holly Lane, Darien | $1,650,0005 Indian Trail, Darien | $3,250,00019 Great Island Road, Darien | $100,000,00021 Old Trolley Way, Rowayton | $659,00017 Crockett St., Rowayton | $1,400,00012 Pond Ridge Lane, Rowayton | $2,300,0003 Crockett St., Rowayton | $3,195,000
Price Changes
No price changes reported this week
Accepted Offers
210 Tokeneke Road, Darien | $875,00016 Lake Drive, Darien | $1,280,00096 Rose Lane, Darien | $1,389,00046 Herman Avenue, Darien | $1,499,000599 Middlesex Road, Darien | $4,295,00031 Craw Avenue, Rowayton | 2,695,000
Title Passed / Sold
273 West Avenue, Darien | $730,000 / $710,0002636 Boston Post Road, Darien | $838,000 / $850,00011 Edelweiss Lane, Darien | $1,195,000 / $1,150,00021 Highland Avenue, Darien | $1,199,000 / $1,267,00093 Gardiner Street, Darien | $1,349,000 / $1,490,00019 Hillside Avenue, Darien | $1,695,000 / $1,740,00064 Andrews Drive, Darien | $2,195,000 / $2,100,0007 McLaren Road South, Darien | $2,100,000 / $2,250,00019 Arnold Lane, Rowayton | $649,000 / $655,000
Open Houses
18 Holly Lane, Darien | Saturday and Sunday | 1:00pm-3 p.m.5 Indian Trail, Darien | Saturday and Sunday | 12 noon to 2 p.m.212 West Ave., Darien [PICTURED] | Saturday and Sunday| 1 to 3 p.m.17 Crockett St., Rowayton | Saturday | 12 noon to 3 p.m.12 Pond Ridge Lane, Rowayton | Saturday | 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
______________________
Deirdre McGovern is a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker who has called Darien home for more than 25 years. She has been involved in many local organizations. She can be reached at 203-554-0897 or deirdre.mcgovern@cbrealty.com.
In the latest cases of mailbox thefts, checks were stolen before mail carriers picked them up, then the checks were washed and higher amounts added that were given to people with different names, police said. A check put in an envelope placed in a home mailbox on Bittersweet Lane was stolen, washed, rewritten and fraudulently cashed, police said. The victim told police he put the envelope in his home mailbox on Jan. 9. He noticed on Jan.
Darien police reported nine vehicles parked outside eight homes in town were recently entered overnight, most of them from Tuesday to Wednesday, Jan. 19 to 20. Various items were taken from several of them. As usual, all of them were unlocked. Reported stolen were a “portable electronic device” valued at $100, a pair of prescription sunglasses, another pair of sunglasses, $80 in cash, a phone charger.
Frederick Myers Perkins Jr. passed away peacefully on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022 at his home in Houston. He was 93 years of age. He was born on Oct. 7, 1928, in Tallahassee, Florida, spending his childhood years in Jacksonville, Florida.
Four Darien High School seniors have been selected as candidates for the United States Presidential Scholars Program. Anastasia Carey, Tam-Hao Nguyen, Katherine Wolters and Preston Yao have been recognized based on broad academic achievement and having scored exceptionally well on the SAT or ACT. — an announcement from Darien High School
The United States Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by Executive Order of the President, to recognize and honor some of our Nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors. Each year up to 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the Nation’s highest honors for high school students. Those selected Presidential Scholars don’t get scholarship money.
YWCA Parent Awareness and Middlesex Middle School Parent Association are sponsoring an online presentation, Embracing Gender Identities at Home and in School, at 8 p.m., Feb. 15. This program is for parents of school age children who wish to learn more about gender diversity and fluidity. Studies have shown that when students feel safe to express their identities across the gender spectrum, they will be more prepared to learn and thrive in life & school. A presentation on Zoom.com will be made by Renee Reopell, director of Gender, Diversity and Resilience at The Child Guidance Center.
Police who went to a home after they were called about a domestic incident involving a verbal dispute told that a man had pushed a person onto a couch. He was charged with disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor. Darien Police gave this account of what happened, including accusations not proven in court:
A call about a verbal dispute was made to police at 9:17 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 18. When police arrived, a 51-year-old man said he had been involved in an argument with the other person.
You can celebrate Valentine’s Day with a gift bag, complete with a hand-made tag, from The Darien Community Association. — an announcement from the DCA
Created by Carolyn’s Absolutely Fabulous Events, the DCA describes it as “A real delight for all — treat yourself, share with your family or bring as a gift to friends.” Each gift bag will hold an afternoon tea box, signature cocktail mix, sparkling water and a small posy of flowers. (The cocktail mix would also work with sparkling wine, not included.)
The afternoon tea box (perfect for one person) will contain a savory bite, tea sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream, and a selection of cakes pastries and sweet treats. Orders will be available for drive-by pick up only from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., on Friday, Feb.
6:59 p.m.: Connecticut Transit just announced: “All bus service, including CTtransit local and express and CTfastrak services, will be suspended state-wide from 2:00am Saturday, Jan. 29, to 3 a.m. Sunday January 30th due to the approaching winter storm. 6:57 p.m.: Palmer’s Market will open at 10 a.m., Saturday, due to the weather, the supermarket announced on Facebook. 4:47 p.m.: Metro-North is suspending service on the New Canaan Branch on Saturday, and trains on the New Haven Line and other lines will be running hourly, the railroad has announced. “Avoid unnecessary travel tomorrow.
4:40 p.m.: If, for any reason, you’ve got a car parked on a Stamford street, you’ll need to move it elsewhere by 8 p.m., or the city may tow it away; and if you’ve got a COVID-19 test scheduled for this weekend somewhere in Stamford, you’d better check to see if testing at that site hasn’t been cancelled. That’s part of what an emergency message from the city government said just minutes ago. The city has declared a “Snow Emergency” from 6 p.m., Friday to 6 p.m., Sunday. Until 6 p.m., Sunday, anyone can still park in the city’s public parking garages, for free, the announcement said. The announcement reminded residents that Eversource customers can call the utility at 203-286-2000 to report a power outage.
