Police Investigate Thanksgiving

Vandalism Incidents

By Andrew Gorosko

Police are investigating vandalism that caused several thousand dollars worth of damage. Much of it occurred early on November 26, which was Thanksgiving, while it was still dark, waking some residents who found their property damaged by unknown vandals who had fled the scene.

Police Chief Michael Kehoe said police learned of 11 instances of property damage, which they are investigating. The police chief spoke at a Police Commission meeting on the night of December 1, which some victims of that vandalism attended to make their concerns known.

According to police incident logs, police received reports of vandalism at 11:41 pm on November 25 from a Lincoln Road home, at 2:31 am November 26 from a Boulevard residence, at 2:37 am from a Currituck Road home, at 4:39 am from Newtown Mobil on Church Hill Road, at 7:37 am from a Walnut Tree Hill Road address, at 8:23 am from a Hanover Road home, at 9:45 am from a Baldwin Road home, and at 12:47 pm from an Edgewood Drive residence.

Police received other reports of vandalism on November 29 from residents on The Boulevard and on Johnny Appleseed Drive.

According to a police report submitted by Officer Scott Smith, early on Thanksgiving morning, police investigated several vandalism complaints in Newtown and Sandy Hook.

“Rocks were thrown through the front windows of a Currituck Road residence and rocks were thrown through car windows on The Boulevard and Walnut Tree Hill Road,” he wrote.

According to Officer Steve Borges, a vehicle that was parked in the driveway of a home on Walnut Tree Hill Road received a smashed right front passenger window by someone who had hurled a rock at it.

At the December 1 Police Commission session, resident James Rodriguez of The Boulevard explained that his property was the target of vandals early on Thanksgiving morning when he was asleep there.

Someone threw four large rocks through four windows in motor vehicles that were parked outdoors, he said. Two windshields were among the auto glass that was broken.

Mr Rodriguez urged that the town have more police officers on patrols on nights when the prospect of vandalism is high. More police on patrol on such nights could help deter such crimes from occurring, Mr Rodriguez said.

The incident in which his vehicles’ windows were broken ruined his travel plans, he said.

Police Chief Michael Kehoe said that the town had never before experienced such an extent of vandalism at Thanksgiving.

Police were very busy that night, he added, explaining that an incident also had occurred at a local bar, requiring a police response.

“We can’t be every place and everywhere,” Chief Kehoe said. The vandalism that occurred unfortunately caused damage to various property in town, he said.

 Mr Rodriguez said that the thrown rocks not only damaged auto glass, but also damaged vehicular sheet metal, requiring costly repairs.

Chief Kehoe said police will plan on preventing such vandalism incidents next Thanksgiving.

“This was a different type of night,” the police chief said of the multiple vandalism incidents.

Later at the Police Commission session, the Currituck Road resident whose home’s front windows were the targets of vandals’ rocks, said she wants to know if police are making progress in investigating the incident.

“It’s an open investigation,” Chief Kehoe said. The investigation has been turned over the police department’s detective unit, he said.

Sergeant Darlene Froehlich said December 3 that the vandalism that occurred early on Thanksgiving morning on The Boulevard, Currituck Road, and Walnut Tree Hill Road probably was related in that the vandals in each case took large rocks from nearby stone walls to use as weapons in those incidents.

Police ask that any witnesses to the vandalism or anyone with knowledge of the vandals to contact police at 203-426-5841. The police tip line telephone number is 203-270-8888.