NAUGATUCK — An Oxford man was arrested Saturday night after police found him hiding in the General DataComm building downtown.
At about 6 p.m. on Saturday, police responded to a burglar alarm at the building, located at 6 Rubber Ave. Lt. Bryan Cammarata said the first officer on the scene noticed a window about 15 feet off the ground was open and had fresh pry marks on it. A bicycle was also located outside, he said.
After calling for backup, officers entered the room with the open window and found a ladder inside. Cammarata said officers deployed police K-9 Vane to search the building and Kevin Maher, 48, of 47 Christian Road, Oxford was found hiding behind boxes in another room.
Maher initially told police that he entered the building looking for a place to use the bathroom, Cammarata said. Officers found a small amount of marijuana and paraphernalia on Maher, who then told police he went in the building to smoke the marijuana.
Cammarata said nothing was taken from the building and only minor damage was done to the window and another door that had pry marks on it as well but was not opened.
Maher was charged with burglary in the first degree, criminal mischief in the third degree, interfering with an officer and criminal attempt at larceny in the sixth degree. He was released on a $5,000 surety bond and given a court date of Jan. 23 to appear at Waterbury Superior Court.
