Archive for October, 2012

BREAKING NEWS: GPD say shooting on Indian Field Road, NOT a random act.

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012

Press Release: For Immediate release by Police Chief Jams Heavey.

Brought to you courtesy of the Community and Police Partnership (CAPP).

CFS #1200034788

The Greenwich Police Department is currently actively investigating a shooting incident involving two vehicles which occurred late in the evening hours on Monday, 10/22/12, on Indian Field Road in the vicinity of Osceola Place.

Preliminary Investigation has determined that the victims, who are NOT Greenwich residents, were specifically targeted by the suspects and that this was NOT a random crime. The victims were not injured as a result of the shooting at their vehicle.

Numerous members of the Patrol Division, Detective Division, and Forensics Section were involved in investigating this incident, interviewing the victims, and collecting evidence. The Greenwich Police Department is also collaborating with several other CT Police agencies in determining a possible nexus of this crime to other area shootings.

Nothing further will be released at this time; as more information becomes available, the GPD Public Information Officer will release additional information.

There may be intermittent road closures on Indian Field Road between 10AM and 11AM while the investigation continues.

JURY FINDS PENNSYLVANIA MAN GUILTY OF CREDIT CARD FRAUD AND IDENTITY THEFT OFFENSES

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012

U.S. Department of Justice

United States Attorney
District of Connecticut

www.justice.gov/usao/ct

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22, 2012

CONTACT:
Tom Carson
Public Information Office
(203) 821-3722
(203) 996-1393 (cell)

JURY FINDS PENNSYLVANIA MAN GUILTY OF CREDIT CARD FRAUD AND IDENTITY THEFT OFFENSES

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in Hartford has found ANTHONY JOHNSON, 49, of Philadelphia, guilty of credit card fraud and identity theft offenses stemming from tens of thousands of dollars in purchases he made on credit cards he stole from women in Connecticut movie theaters. The trial before U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant began on October 16 and the jury returned its verdict today after deliberating for approximately two hours.

According to the evidence presented during the trial and statements made in court during previous court proceedings, JOHNSON and others engaged in a credit card fraud and identity theft scheme at movie theaters in Connecticut. As part of the scheme, JOHNSON targeted movies that he believed were geared toward women. JOHNSON and female accomplices would then enter a theater and sit behind an intended victim. JOHNSON then crawled on the floor and removed credit cards from a purse that a victim had placed on the floor during the movie.

On December 27, 2008, JOHNSON and Lashirelle Bryant traveled from Pennsylvania to Connecticut and entered a movie theater in Greenwich. While the movie was playing, JOHNSON crawled on the floor and stole three credit cards from a female victim’s purse. JOHNSON and Bryant then left the theater and JOHNSON used equipment to produce a driver’s license in the victim’s name, but with Bryant’s photograph. JOHNSON and Bryant (at JOHNSON’s direction) used the stolen credit cards to make more than $50,000 in unauthorized purchases. The purchases included gift cards, clothing, electronics, designer sunglasses and a $10,000 Rolex watch.

JOHNSON also traveled to Connecticut on three occasions between April and August 2010 and stole credit cards from female patrons at theaters in Greenwich, Fairfield and Colchester. JOHNSON produced false driver’s licenses in each victim’s name, but with a photograph of Jamie McGowan, his female accomplice on these trips. McGowan, at JOHNSON’s direction, used the stolen credit cards and fraudulent identification to purchase thousands of dollars in gift cards and retail items, and also to make more than $5,000 in cash advances at the Mohegan Sun Casino.
JOHNSON was found guilty of seven counts of unauthorized use of an access device, a charge that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count. JOHNSON also was found guilty of two counts of aggravated identity theft, a charge that carries a mandatory two-year term of imprisonment, which must be imposed to run consecutively to the sentence imposed for unauthorized use of an access device.

Judge Vanessa L. Bryant has scheduled sentencing for January 14, 2013.

JOHNSON has been detained since his arrest on November 16, 2011.

On June 22, 2012, Lashirelle Bryant and Jamie McGowan each pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized use of an access device and one count of aggravated identity theft. They await sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Greenwich, Fairfield and Waterford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rahul Kale and Paul H. McConnell.

TOP OF THE CLASS

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012

Four of GPD’s recent hires have returned from training. They attended the Milford Police Departments Academy which is a regional police academy with several different agencies sending their recruits. The academy lasted 30 weeks. The GPD recruits ALL did an excellent job during this phase of their employment with three standouts.

Officer Alan Pesca finished # 1 in the class
Officer Aran Tradel finished # 2 in the class
Officer Chris Wallace received the Physical Fitness Award AND Motivational Award

They will continue their training with a seasoned Greenwich Police Field Training Officer (FTO) for a minimum of 13 weeks.

Back Row left to right : Chief James Heavey, Officer Luke Kelly
Front Row left to right: Officer Aran Tradel, Officer Chris Wallace, Officer Alan Pesca

Sharing the Roadway: Bicycles and Motor Vehicles

Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012

The following GPD PRESS RELEASE is brought to you courtesy of the Citizens and Police Partnership (CAPP).

GREENWICH POLICE DEPARTMENT

Press Release
1l Bruce Place
Greenwich, CT 06830
Phone (203) 622-8000
Fax (203) 622-3640
Contact: Technician Roger Drenth
Phone: (203) 622-8014 For Immediate Release
October 22, 2012

Bicycles and Motor Vehicles
Sharing the Roadway

The Greenwich Police Department routinely receives complaints from its citizens regarding traffic and roadway use: speeding, traffic signal violations, tailgating, etc. Recently, there has been an increase in complaints referencing bicycle use of the roadway and sharing the road with vehicles. Greenwich roads are often filled with large numbers of weekend bike riders particularly among the back roads in northern Greenwich.

As a reminder, bicycles are required to follow the State of Connecticut General Statues Motor Vehicles laws. All of these laws are written to insure that cars, trucks, bicycles and pedestrians never come in contact with one another. A few relevant statues that apply to bicyclist are:

State Statute CGS. 14-286b, which dictates (among other things) that:
(a) Bicycles shall stay as near to the right side of the roadway as possible.
(b) Persons riding Bicycles shall not ride more than two abreast in the roadway.
(c) When riding two abreast the riders shall not impede the normal and reasonable movement of traffic.

As with cars, all stop signs and red lights must be obeyed by bicyclists also.

Motor Vehicles must also be reminded to utilize care when passing bicyclists that are legally operating on the roadways as stated in CGS. 14-232.

One more pertinent Statute for cars is CGS. 14-242(f), which dictates (among other things) that:
A person operating a vehicle who overtakes and passes a bicyclist proceeding in the same direction shall not make a right turn at any intersection or into any private road or driveway unless the turn can be made with reasonable safety and will not impede the travel of the person riding the bicycle.

When these rules of the road are not followed by either motorist or bicyclist, it creates an unsafe environment for everyone. The Greenwich Police Department encourages the safe shared use of the roadways of Greenwich.

BREAKING NEWS: GPD catch ANOTHER burglar in the act.

Thursday, October 11th, 2012

Look for a new TV drama called “the Midnight Shift.”

Fresh off of catching a half-dozen burglars in the last several weeks, the GPD Midnight Shift caught another burglar in the act this morning. This one was at the Shell Station on East Putnam Av (formerly the Mobil on the Run) where a couple of years ago, the attendant was shot during a robbery.

What is more remarkable about this is that this is the second time in a month that the Midnight Shift caught a burglar with an audible alarm ringing. The first was the arrest of Mark B. Johnson who was caught burglarizing two homes in “back-country Cos Cob.”

One police veteran of nearly 20 years said that it is a “one in a million shot” that police anywhere catch a bad guy in the act with an audible alarm ringing. The alarm warns the burglar that the cops are on the way and the bad guy will take what he can an flee promptly. But the alacrity, teamwork and experience of the GPD Midnight Shift has foiled two burglars in the act, and resulted in the arrest of several more.

We are blessed to have them protecting our Town of Greenwich.