Rise in Crime: New Canaan Police Request $200,000-Plus To Boost Security in Parks, Downtown

Noting that the town is seeing a rise in crimes such as thefts at public parks and the business district, the chief of police is seeking $200,000-plus to bolster safety through a series of initiatives. The funds would be targeted toward improved security at Waveny ($25,000) and Irwin Parks ($75,000), as well as the downtown ($125,000), according to New Canaan Police Chief Leon Krolikowski. “Given the crime we have seen and the concerns expressed by our residents, I think it’s a perfect time for us to build on what’s been done and improve on it,” Krolikowski said during the Feb. 16 meeting of the Police Commission, held at police headquarters and via videoconference. New Canaan had “an unprecedented” number of motor vehicle thefts in 2021, Krolikowski said, something police are “very concerned about”—up to 39 last year, from 27 in 2020 and just 10 in 2019.

NCPD

Letter from St. Luke’s Thanking New Canaan Police

Police Chief Leon Krolikowski shared the following letter of appreciation at the Feb. 16 meeting of the Police Commission. It was sent by St. Luke’s School Director of Safety and Security Gerald McMahon on Jan. 13, in the days that followed the death of Teddy Balkin:

“Chief Krolikowski, thank you and your department for the trends outpouring of support it has sent to St.

Police Investigate Two Home Break-Ins, Theft of SUV

Police say they’re investigating two recent residential burglaries on Oenoke Ridge as well as a car theft in New Canaan. At about 2 p.m. on Feb. 11, a housekeeper arriving at one of the homes found that a window had been smashed at the rear of the house, according to a press release issued by Police Chief Leon Krolikowski. The home’s alarm system had not been activated, he said. At about 1:24 p.m. Monday, a resident of Oenoke Ridge returning home also found that a window at the rear of their house, and again the alarm system hadn’t activated, the chief said.

Police Increase Patrols in Waveny after Spurt of Smash-and-Grabs

Last month’s spurt of five smash-and-grabs from parked cars in Waveny was highly unusual, according to police, after four such break-ins occurred in all of 2021 and just one in Waveny the year before. Though it’s “not quite a hotbed of crime there,” Police Chief Leon Krolikowski said, “we are concerned and that’s one of the reasons we asked for video cameras in the parks, to help with our investigations.”

“We are increasing patrols, our detectives do have open investigations into those crimes,” Krolikowski said during a Jan. 19 meeting of the Police Commission. “We believe that these folks who actually break windows and go into the parks specifically are a very well-organized group that targets cars, and comes into the park and is in and out very quickly. A number of communities in our area got hit by them.

Police: Three More Reports of Stolen Vehicles

Police last week received three reports of vehicles stolen from residents’ homes, officials say. Two of the thefts were reported Thursday morning, including a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee parked in a Main Street driveway that had been left unlocked with its key fob inside, according to Police Chief Leon Krolikowski. Reported stolen at 8:56 a.m., that SUV was found about one hour later on Oak Street near Main, Krolikowski said in a press release. “Detectives arrived on scene and processed the vehicle for evidence,” he said. In 2021, police received 39 reports of stolen cars in New Canaan, up from 27 the prior year, according to data shared at the Jan.