#Westport CT–On 05/16/18, officers responded to a report of a residential burglary to a home under construction. During the overnight hours, various tools and copper flashing were stolen. Surveillance video at the home captured the suspect making several trips into the construction site and occupied a portion of the home. Detectives were able to identify the suspect in the video as Richard Jamain of Bridgeport, CT. Jamain was also found to have sold copper scrap metal later that morning. An arrest warrant application was submitted for Jamain and approved. On 06/18/18, Jaiman was observed driving in Bridgeport by Westport detectives. With the assistance of Bridgeport police, he was stopped and taken into custody. Jamain was transported to Westport PD headquarters where he was charged with 53a-101 Burglary 1 st and 53a-125 Larceny 4 th . He was unable to post $100,000 bond and was transported to Norwalk Court for arraignment the following morning.
On 01/29/18, the Westport Police Department received an online report of a larceny from the Westport Weston YMCA. The victim reported that while placing his personal belongings into one of the gym lockers, he observed a suspicious male in the locker room who appeared to be watching him and attempting to see the lock combination. When the victim later returned to the locker, he found the contents disturbed and $80 had been stolen from his wallet. Two similar incidents were reported on 01/30/18 and 01/31/18. On 01/30/18, a victim’s locker was entered and rifled through, but nothing was taken. The victim reported a man being in the locker room that could have seen his locker code. On 01/31/18, another locker was entered and a watch stolen. A suspect was observed on surveillance video on all three days during the timeframe of each incident.
In viewing the footage, the officer recognized the suspect as Brandon Fitzgerald from a previous incident. During the investigation of the previous incident, Fitzgerald was advised he was not allowed to return to the YMCA. An arrest warrant application was submitted for Fitzgerald and later approved. The investigating officer also submitted arrest warrant applications for Fitzgerald for trespassing on YMCA property on 01/30/18 and 01/31/18, which were also later approved. On 06/16/18, Fitzgerald turned himself in on the active warrants. He was charged with 53a- 103 Burglary 3 rd , 53a-107 Criminal Trespass 1 st and 53a-125b Larceny 6 th for the 01/29/18 incident. He was charged with 53a-107 Criminal Trespass 1 st for the 01/30/18 and 01/31/18 incidents. Fitzgerald was released after posting a total of $25,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Norwalk Court on 06/25/18
The annual jUNe Day event will take place on Saturday, June 23rd, in Westport. The United Nations Association of Southwestern Connecticut (UNASWCT) and the Town of Westport will host over 300 guests from the United Nations community in New York.
The public is invited to attend the opening ceremonies and welcome our international guests at Saugatuck Elementary School on Riverside Avenue at 10:30 a.m. Westport First Selectman Jim Marpe and UNA President Bill Hass will welcome the guests, and jUNe Day Chairperson Michaela Maccoll will outline the Day’s activities.
The annual jUNe Day celebration was established in 1965 by the late Ruth Steinkraus Cohen, the founder of the UN Association of Southwestern Connecticut and International Visitors Committee of Connecticut, in observance of the signing of the UN charter on June 26, 1945.
The day’s main purpose is to promote world peace and international understanding through friendly interaction between UN visitors and their hosts. On Saturday, the flags of many of the 193 members of the United Nations will fly on the Post Road bridge named in Ruth’s honor.
On jUNe Day, United Nations staff and representatives from governments around the world and their families will participate in a variety of sporting and recreational activities. There will be a soccer match between the UN team and the Westport Knights, a tennis tournament and a day of golf at the Longshore Golf Course. Special tours of Earthplace, a nature center, and the historic town of Westport will be offered free of charge and, for the first time, a visit has been arranged to the Sherwood Island Beach Nature Center.
In addition, guests will have access to Compo Beach and the town pools on the seaside at Longshore Park, and breakfast and lunch will be served to them at the Saugatuck School.
Area residents are welcome to volunteer in set-up, food-preparation and decorations, and photographers are needed at all venues. Servers are needed for both breakfast and lunch, “tour guides” will ride along in busses to point out interesting sites, and hospitality volunteers mingle with the guests during meals. For those who like to pitch in behind the scenes, a clean-up crew is always appreciated. All food and refreshments for the day have been provided by local businesses and the UN Association of Southwestern Connecticut.
To volunteer, please contact Ms. Andrea Dostal at 203-526-3275 or Andreasusa@yahoo.com. For more information, please contact Bill Hass at (203) 454-7685.
#Westport, CT – First Selectman Jim Marpe and Historic District Commission (HDC) Chair Francis Henkels today announced that the Bridge Street National Register District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service on April 19, 2018. Kristina-Newman Scott, State Historic Preservation Officer/Director of Culture, Arts and Historic Preservation informed Mr. Marpe of this designation (see attached). Connecticut properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places are also automatically listed on the State Register of Historic Places. Mr. Henkels stated “The HDC appreciates and encourages the resident-initiated request to pursue this National Register designation for the Bridge Street neighborhood. We hope that this honorary designation will promote further awareness of the cultural value in preserving the type of historic resource this neighborhood represents to the residents and to all the citizens of Westport.” Mr. Marpe said, “On behalf of the Town of Westport, I want to thank the homeowners for their commitment to historic preservation and for being stewards of an outstanding collection of historic houses.” Those with questions concerning the Bridge Street National Register District designation may contact Carol Leahy, HDC Staff Administrator, at 203.341.1184 in Room 108 at Town Hall. About the National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of historic properties recognized by the Federal Government as worthy of preservation for their significance in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering and culture. A study report for the Bridge Street Historic District, which preceded the National Register listing, was prepared for the Historic District Commission by The Public Archaeology Laboratory, Inc., historic preservation consultants, from Pawtucket Rhode Island and was fully financed by federal funds through a Historic Preservation Enhancement Grant awarded to the town by the State Historic Preservation Office. Listing in the National Register results in consideration in planning for a federal, federally licensed, or a federally assisted project, eligibility for federal tax provisions including tax credits for the rehabilitation of historic commercial, industrial, and rental residential buildings, and qualifications for federal grants for historic preservation when funds are available.
#Westport CT–On Monday, June 18 th, the Westport Police Department will be hosting a “Cones with a Cop” event to celebrate the end of another school year. Please join the men and women of the Westport Police Department for an ice cream cone from 3:30 to 5:30 pm on Jesup Green, located in front of the Westport Public Library. The event is free and open to the public. Residents can sit down with officers, ask questions and discuss community issues. Come and meet some of Westport’s finest and enjoy ice cream, on us.
On 06/02/2017 at approximately 10:20pm, officers were dispatched to Longshore Golf Course on a report of a motor vehicle accident. The vehicle had been observed crashing through a fence at Longshore in the area of the 13 th hole. The operator fled the vehicle on foot. Officers were able to determine the operator of the vehicle was Daniel Coakley of Westport, CT, who was also the registered owner. An arrest warrant application was submitted by the investigating officer and later granted. On 06/05/18, Coakley turned himself in at police headquarters on the outstanding warrant. He was charged with 14-224(b)* Evading Responsibility and released after posting $2,500 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Norwalk Court on 06/15/18.
Westport, CT – The Parks and Recreation Department and Commission, the First Selectman, the Human Services Department and Commission, and the Commission on People with Disabilities introduced the Mobi-Mat at Compo Beach today. The Mobi-Mat is an eco-friendly, high quality, outdoor access surface which brings tactical agility to unstable grounds for aging people with walkers or canes, wheelchair-bound people, and parents with strollers. First Selectman Jim Marpe said, “We are thrilled that we can offer people with disabilities and young families with strollers full access to our beach.” Director of Parks and Recreation Jennifer Fava added, “Our goal is for everyone, no matter how agile or able, to enjoy all aspects of Compo Beach. This mat creates an opportunity for all beach goers to have access to the water.” Chair of the Parks & Recreation Commission Charlie Haberstroh said, “We work with many different demographic groups in order to achieve their goals and this is a wonderful resource for Compo Beach.”
Westport CT– The Westport Police Department successfully brought awareness to area residents during its annual Click It or Ticket high-visibility seat belt enforcement campaign, held May 21st-June 3rd, writing a total of 37 citations for seat belt violations in the process. The campaign, which coincided with one of the busiest holiday weekends of the year, was twofold: combine increased enforcement, and a zero-tolerance policy with effective communication to road users on the importance of seat belt use. “This year’s Click It or Ticket campaign was a real success,” said Captain David Farrell “Through our enforcement efforts, we believe we helped keep community members safe and reminded drivers of the importance of buckling up. Issuing tickets was not our goal, but it was a way to remind people of the importance of such a simple action.” According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly half of the passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2016 were unrestrained. During this year’s campaign, NHTSA urged law enforcement nationwide to issue seat belt citations to anyone caught in violation of the law—during the day, and especially at night, when 56 percent of those killed are unrestrained. By adding patrols at night, and training officers on specific techniques to catch nighttime violators, the campaign—and the nighttime focus—was a “major success,” according to Captain Farrell. The national seat belt use rate is currently at 90.1 percent, according to NHTSA’s 2016 data, up from 88.5 percent in 2015. The Click It or Ticket campaign is for the remaining 9.9 percent—some 32 million people who still don’t buckle up. Thousands of lives could be saved each year if every person was properly restrained on the road.
#Westport CT–On 05/25/18 at approximately 3:15pm, officers were dispatched to a Main Street retailer on a report of a shoplifting. An employee reported that three individuals shoplifted from the store and then placed the items into a vehicle parked outside. The employee provided the license plate of the suspect vehicle and descriptions of the suspects. Detectives surveilled the vehicle until the three suspects returned to the car. The suspects were identified as Camaleetha Davis and Sophia Grant, both of Bronx, NY, and Rushane Dwyer of Brooklyn, NY. Each suspect was found in possession of shoplifting devices for removing security tags. Dwyer and Davis were found with magnetic devices also commonly used for removing security tags. Officers recovered the stolen items from inside the vehicle. All
three parties were taken into custody and charged with 53a-125 Larceny 4 th , 53a-127f Possession of Shoplifting Device and 53a-48 Conspiracy (to Commit Larceny 4 th ). Each suspect was released after posting $1,500 bond and all are scheduled to appear in Norwalk
Court on 06/01/2018.
CASE: 2018-010332
ARREST DATE: 05/25/2018
ARRESTED: Camaleetha Davis AGE: 36 RESIDENCE: Bronx, NY
CHARGE: Larceny 5th
Conspiracy
BOND: $1,500
ARRESTED: Sophia Grant AGE: 45 RESIDENCE: Bronx, NY
CHARGE: Larceny 5th
Conspiracy
BOND: $1,500
ARRESTED: Rushane Dwyer AGE: 28 RESIDENCE: Brooklyn, NY
CHARGE: Larceny 5th
Conspiracy
BOND: $1,500
While investigating the above mentioned incident, officers searched the suspect vehicle. While doing so, officers recovered over $750 worth of merchandise, which was identified as stolen from another downtown retailer. Store employees has observed the suspects in the store earlier. All three parties were taken into custody and charged with 53a-125a Larceny 5 th and 53a-48 Conspiracy (to Commit Larceny 5 th ). Two additional items of clothing were recovered from Grant during the booking process. Each suspect was released after posting $1,500 bond and all are scheduled to appear in Norwalk Court on 06/01/2018.
CASE: 2018-010381
ARREST DATE: 05/26/2018
ARRESTED: Luis Montes AGE: 28 RESIDENCE: Bridgeport, CT
CHARGE: Failure to Pay or Plead
BOND: $100
#Westport CT– On Monday, Westport Fire Department dispatchers received numerous calls for an animal rescue on I95. A family of ducks had been observed trying to navigate I95 at rush hour, resulting in nine ducklings falling into a storm drain.
Rescue 3 and the Shift Commander responded to I95 North to provide assistance, meeting up with CT State Police Troopers just prior to exit 17. A DOT Safety Patrol vehicle provided critical barrier protection for those working on the highway.
Firefighters used a variety of hand tools, hydraulic rescue tools and metering equipment to gain access to the storm drain. Firefighter Ponticiello entered the storm drain via a ladder and patiently rescued all nine of the ducklings, despite their reluctance to exit. This was Firefighter Ponticiellos second animal rescue from a storm drain in as many days.
As a reminder, if you are concerned about the welfare of any animal, particularly when the animals are on a highway or main road, call 911 and ask for assistance. The roads and highways are dangerous places to be and we want to make sure everyone goes home safely.
