Police issue warning following thefts

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NAUGATUCK — Police issued several warnings last week to residents about thefts from homes and motor vehicles scattered throughout Naugatuck.

One of the most serious crimes reported was from a house on School Street in the Union City section where a landscaper had nearly all of his landscaping tools stolen from a shed on his property.

“They took backpack blowers, giant roller fans, a couple of hedge clippers, chainsaws … thousands of dollars worth of stuff; basically all of what we need for fall cleanups,” said Angela Rovinelli, who owns the house where her boyfriend, Cornelis Vandervelden, stores his landscaping equipment in a detached shed in the backyard.

“The only thing they didn’t take was a giant lawn mower, probably because they couldn’t move it,” she said. “Basically, they cleaned him out. We have to start from scratch.”

Rovinelli said she is concerned because her neighbors have told her this is the third time items have been stolen in the neighborhood in as many months. Police said only two were reported.

Rovinelli also said she believes the crimes are happening in broad daylight. About a month ago, she said, she saw someone suspicious in her neighborhood who looked like he was trying to break into house. She said he ran away from her when she attempted to confront him. She said she took a picture of the man, but it was too far away to be useful to police.

Also within the past week, a $500 power washer was stolen from a house on Hilltop Road. A pallet of wood was reported stolen from a business on Great Hill Road. And a propane tank and a table were reported stolen from a house on Loranne Drive.

On July 14, the Naugatuck Police Department posted on Facebook about numerous calls for break-ins of cars on the borough’s west side, and one man posted on the NPD’s Facebook page that three of his cars were broken into in one night. People are rummaging through the cars and stealing anything of value, police said.

Lt. Bryan Cammarata, police spokesman, said typically criminals walk down a street trying to open car doors. They go through anything that is opened, he said.

He said people should keep their car doors locked and to take all valuables out of the car.

1 COMMENT

  1. “To protect and serve” What do you say NPD? Start patrolling instead of sitting in train station parking lot, or parallel chatting with the other cop on duty. Work for your pay.