Government

Town To Make Weed-and-Elm a Three-Way Stop

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After years of wrangling about it, town officials decided this week to make the intersection at Elm and Weed Streets a three-way stop. Currently, there’s only a stop sign for motorists on Elm Street, approaching Weed. Police say they’ve received an increasing number in complaints in recent years about motorists ignoring pedestrians trying to get across Weed, including many who are coming to or from Irwin Park. “Obviously there’s a high volume of pedestrian traffic there, to get to Irwin and back from Irwin,” Police Chief John DiFederico said Tuesday night during a regular meeting of the Police Commission, New Canaan’s designated local traffic authority. “Although it’s a real flat road there, if you’re coming south on Weed Street there’s a bit of a crown in the road, and it’s difficult to see the intersection as you approach on Weed Street from the north,” DiFederico said during the meeting, held at police headquarters and via videoconference.

Government

Police: Residential Burglaries Up in New Canaan in August

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New Canaan Police saw a sharp rise in residential burglaries last month, largely among homes left unattended during summer vacation, officials said Wednesday. Five residential burglaries were reported in August, according to data that Police Chief John DiFederico shared during the regular meeting of the Police Commission, held at the agency’s newly renovated headquarters and via videoconference. “The month of August was a tough month for us,” DiFederico said. 

He continued: “We average about one [burglary] a month, but the month of August was five. We had a rash going through grabbing ladders and hitting second-floor windows. This is probably a good wakeup call for residents that when you’re away for the summer months, please have somebody checking on your house regularly.

Government

New Canaan Police: Stolen Vehicles More Than Doubled in 2024

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The number of vehicles stolen from New Canaan more than doubled in 2024, officials say. Stolen vehicles increased from 17 to 40 year-over-year, according to Police Chief John DiFederico. The figures represent a 135% rise. “It was not a good year for vehicles,” he told members of the Police Commission during their regular meeting, held Wednesday night at Town Hall and via videoconference. The nature of the thefts appears to be changing in a dangerous way, DiFederico said.

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Police: New Canaan Sees Uptick in Residential Burglaries

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The chief of police is asking New Canaan residents to take precautions following a recent uptick in home burglaries. The New Canaan Police Department responded to five burglary calls in January, up from zero in December and just two in the year-ago month, Chief John DiFederico reported at the Feb. 15 Police Commission meeting. “We had quite an uptick in the burglary trend,” DiFederico said during the meeting, held at police headquarters and via videoconference. 

“It’s one of those things that seem to be cyclical and when a crew gets going, they kind of hit hard and fast and we’ve had some go through town,” he continued. “We put out some social media tips to keep the lights on, keep the doors locked, obviously.

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New Canaan Police Help Elderly Resident Recover $145,000 Stolen in Scam

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Two New Canaan police officers recently helped an elderly resident who been scammed out of $145,000 recover the money, officials said. Police Chief Leon Krolikowski during last week’s Police Commission meeting spotlighted a letter of appreciation regarding the work that Officers Joseph Schinella and Owen Ochs did on what the chief called a “pretty exceptional” case. “It’s a constant battle,” Krolikowski told members of the Police Commission during their Sept. 21 meeting, referring to scams that often target older residents. Sgt.