Police Blotter: Underage Drinking; $10K in Stolen Jewelry; Toppled Giraffe

22-Year-Old Charged for Providing Booze to Teens:

Police responding to a report of a group of kids possibly drinking in Dixon Park on Hoyt Street at 1:25 p.m. during the school day on Tuesday, April 20, reportedly found four New Canaan teenagers and two men in their 20s in the park and detected a strong odor of alcohol.

According to the police report, New Canaan resident Kim Gray, 22, claimed that the vodka was his and that he had provided it to the 19-year-old boy and three girls—aged 15,16, and 17—along with a 27-year-old from Guilford who were with him in the park.

Gray was arrested and charged with four counts of distributing alcohol to a minor and three counts of risk of injury to a minor—the 17-year-old was transported to Norwalk Hospital's emergency room. Gray was held on $10,000 bond and appeared in Norwalk Court the next day.


$10K in Jewelry Missing:

A resident who moved to Oak Street in December 2009, reported to police on Tuesday, April 20, that she had discovered when she went to retrieve some jewelry during the last week of March that more than a dozen pieces were missing:

• a yellow gold ring with an Alexandria-style stone valued at $1,000;
• a yellow gold bracelet with a green stone (probably emerald) valued at $500;
• a white gold bracelet with saphires and diamonds valued at $500;
• a one-inch wide gold bracelet with pearls valued at $1,000;
• a gold bracelet valued at $1,000;
• a gold necklace with a heart pendant valued at $1,000;
• a white gold ring with sapphires and diamonds valued at $750;
• a pearl necklace valued at $1,000;
• gold hoop earrings valued at $500;
• sapphire and diamond earrings valued at $750;
• pearl and diamond earrings valued at $500;
• a heavy gold necklace valued at $500;
• several sets of gold earrings valued at $1,000 in total.

In addition to the moving company, contractors have been working in the house since she moved in. Police are investigating.


Toppled Giraffe Statue Worth $18K:

A resident of St. John's Place reported to police Sunday, April 25, that someone had flipped over a large giraffe statue in her yard while she was away between the morning of April 23 and about 6:30 a.m. on the 25th. The statue, worth $18,000, had apparently been cracked when a vandal moved it.


Arkansas Man Cited for Soliciting without Permit:

Following up on a tip from a resident in the area, police caught up with Beneal R. Smith, 44, of Pulaski, AR on Woodridge Drive where he was allegedly trying to sell magazines without a permit in violation of a town ordinance on Friday, April 23. Police say there is no indication Smith was involved in a scam and that out-of-town solicitors often show up in New Canaan trying to sell without the proper permits around this time of year.


iPhone Swiped at St. Mark's:

A 39-year-old New Canaanite reported to police around 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 25, that her 3G iPhone, worth about $300, had been snatched from her purse, which she had left unattended between 6:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. the previous day while she was at a church function.


New Canaan Resident Charged for Failure to Appear:

James French, Jr. of New Canaan turned himself in Thursday, April 22, for failure to appear in court on motor vehicle charges on March 23, 2010. The 40-year-old posted $500 bond and is due back in Hartford Court May 6 for allegedly driving an unregistered vehicle with no license and no insurance on Nov. 11, 2009.