New Canaan Police Department

Warrant: Man, 49, Arrested for Larceny and Forgery

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New Canaan Police on May 8 arrested a 49-year-old Bridgeport man accused of signing checks made out to a local nonprofit organization and depositing them into his personal bank account. 

On Jan. 21, officers became aware of two checks belonging to the South Avenue Cottage that had been fraudulently deposited on Dec. 13. The two checks, one for $100 and the other for $200 were deposited by an employee of the Cottage (who resigned in early January), according to an arrest warrant application written by NCPD Officer Kelly Coughlin. South Avenue Cottage provides housing and care for adults with developmental disabilities, and the two checks were written in response to an annual appeal starting in November 2024, according to the police affidavit, signed by a prosecuting attorney and state Superior Court judge.

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Feds: New Canaan Man, 30, Arrested in Connection with Fraud Scheme

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Federal authorities on Monday arrested a 30-year-old New Canaan man following a 20-count indictment charging five Connecticut residents with defrauding small business loan programs.

According to an indictment returned last week, the New Canaan man and four others—from Danbury and Hartford—submitted fraudulent business loan applications here and in Washington state, the U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut and special agent in charge of the FBI’s New Haven Division said in a joint press release. 

They “used stolen personal and business identities, or created false business identities, to apply to NDC for small business loans through the CT Boost and Flex programs,” the press release said. The agencies referred to: the National Development Council or “NDC,” now known as Grow America, a nonprofit lender that provided capital to small businesses, including through state-sponsored small business loan programs; the Connecticut Small Business Boost Fund, an economic initiative supported by the state Department of Economic and Community Development, connecting small businesses and nonprofits with support services, including access to flexible funding for capital expenditures; and the Small Business Flex Fund, an economic initiative supported by the Washington state Department of Commerce. “In connection with the loan applications, they created and submitted false business records, including fraudulent certificates of organization, false income statements, false balance sheets, and false tax returns,” the press release said. One of the other five arrested people, a 43-year-old Hartford woman, worked as a NDC contractor responsible for processing and underwriting small business loan applications. She “specifically requested to be the loan processor on certain loan applications submitted by her co-conspirators in order to further the scheme,” the press release said.

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Two Charged in Richmond Hill Domestic Incident

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Police arrested a New Canaan woman, 43, and Alna, Maine man, 45, following a domestic incident on Richmond Hill Road last week. At about 12:46 a.m. on May 12 (a Tuesday), officers were dispatched to a home on Richmond Hill Road on a report by the victim that an individual would not leave the house, police said. Following an investigation, authorities charged the man and woman with the misdemeanor offense, according to a police report. They both promised to appear the same day in state Superior Court. Police withheld details of the conflict, saying it’s a domestic matter. 

Under state law, people are guilty of disorderly conduct if they “with intent to cause inconvenience, annoyance or alarm, or recklessly creating a risk … [e]ngages in … threatening behavior; or … annoys or interferes with another person,” among other reasons.

Albe Bassett

New Canaan Fire Department Introduces ‘Community Connect’ To Improve Resident Safety

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The New Canaan Fire Department has announced the launch of a new digital system called ‘Community Connect,’ which allows residents to save personal information that may be vital for first responders during an emergency. 

Community Connect is a website that allows residents to create personal accounts with information that could be needed in an emergency. Users can toggle between functions to personalize their experience to the information that is most important to them. 

“Residents can input gate codes, alarm codes, information about pets, and any special needs that would get displayed on our response tablets during an emergency,” Bassett said during the May 13 meeting of the Fire Commission, held at the firehouse on Main Street. 

First responders can use the information that residents add to the system, allowing them to better prepare for the emergency at hand. 

For example, New Canaanites can input the location of a “meeting place” where all members of a household may congregate to escape an emergency. “Another good aspect of the system is the ‘meeting place’ function which allows us to quickly make sure that everyone is accounted for and help coordinate where to deploy our first responders,” Bassett said. 

The system is also adaptable and can easily accommodate changes, he added. 

“The system does an annual reminder for residents to update their information on a regular basis,” Bassett said. “People move, which is a challenge we foresee, but annually updating the system will help us.”

Fire Commission Chair Jack Horner asked about implementing the system with Realtors in town so that it can accurately capture information from individuals who move. Basset replied that integrating the system in many areas throughout town, such as with Realtors and businesses is part of the roll-out plan. 

The system is password secured and only accessible by first responders, such that sensitive information such as codes for gates and alarms is protected, Bassett said. 

The new system is now available to New Canaan residents, officials said.

News

Officials: Lukes Wood Road Fire Likely Caused by Faulty Electrical Device; Free Fire Safety Inspections Available

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Sunday’s residential fire on Lukes Wood Road likely was caused by a faulty electrical device, officials say. Though the Mother’s Day blaze was contained to the garage, the damage to the structure and a vehicle inside “were extensive,” the New Canaan Fire Department said in a press release. With the preventable fire in mind, the New Canaan Fire Marshal’s office is urging residents who are willing to make an appointment for a complimentary fire safety assessment of their home (see contact information below). “This Community Risk Reduction Program for residences is part of the New Canaan Fire Department’s longstanding and continuous commitment to the prevention of fires,” officials said in the release. The fire safety reviews cover: escape plans; smoke and carbon monoxide detector locations; placement and use of fire extinguishers; advice on electrical outlets, cords and power strips; and information related to mechanical equipment such as heating systems and clothes dryers, among other matters.