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Warrant: Local Business Overcharged for Towing, Storage

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New Canaan Police on March 3 arrested a 72-year-old Stamford man by warrant following accusations that his business charged excessive rates for the “nonconsensual” towing and storage of motor vehicles, for example, following car crashes. Under state law, the commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles establishes rates for “nonconsensual” towing (mileage and drop fees) and storage. Towing rates vary based on the vehicle’s weight. Storage rates vary depending on the size of the vehicle and whether it’s kept inside or outside and, if outside, whether the lot is secure and lighted. 

According to an affidavit from New Canaan Police Officer Owen Ochs that forms the major part of an arrest warrant application signed last month by a state Superior Court judge, local authorities were alerted last November by Norwalk police that a local auto body business had been “violating various wrecker/tow laws in regards to towing storage rates in instances stemming from police tows occurring in Norwalk, Wilton, and possibly New Canaan.”

Capt. Joseph Farenga assigned Ochs an investigation into tows requested by NCPD to find out whether any such laws were violated, Ochs said in the arrest warrant application. 

Norwalk police had launched an investigation following complaints lodged in 2023 from people “who had their vehicles towed by Norwalk PD for various reasons (collisions, motor vehicle law violations, etc.) and that the rates [the business] charged the driver and/or owner of the vehicle in question was excessive by law,” the arrest warrant application said. Norwalk police charged the business owner with 14 counts of violation of towing rates, a misdemeanor offense and the man “was found guilty of all counts by a magistrate” in November 2024, the police affidavit said.

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Assault, Risk of Injury Charges for New Canaan Woman, 24

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Police last week arrested a 24-year-old New Canaan woman and charged her with risk of injury to a child and second-degree assault, both felony offenses. At about 1:36 p.m. on March 12, officers were dispatched to a Millport Avenue home on a report of an assault by the woman on the victim, police said. Through an investigation, authorities established probable cause for the felony charges as well as disorderly conduct. It isn’t clear how the woman assaulted the victim or whether they’re related. Police withheld details.

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Warrant: Bronx Man, 37, Stole Thousands of Dollars from 76-Year-Old New Canaan Woman

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New Canaan Police on Feb. 27 arrested a 37-year-old Bronx, N.Y. man by warrant after determining that he’d pretended to be a Citibank employee to steal $9,000 from a 76-year-old Heritage Hill Road woman last fall. Officers Nolan Heintz and Roy Adams met the victim at home on Oct. 15, according to an affidavit from Heintz that forms the bulk of an arrest warrant application signed Feb. 11 by state Superior Court judge Bruce Hudock.

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New Canaan Man, 50, Charged with Disorderly Conduct

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New Canaan Police on Feb. 26 arrested a 50-year-old Forest Street man by warrant and charged him with disorderly conduct. The warrant stemmed from an investigation following an incident reported to authorities on Feb. 1, according to police. Officials served the warrant to the man at home and brought him to headquarters, where he was charged with the misdemeanor offense at about 1:45 p.m. 

It isn’t clear what the man did or whether he’s related to the victim.

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Warrant: Home Care Worker Stole Checks from Elderly New Canaan Woman

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New Canaan Police on Feb. 10 arrested a 36-year-old Bronx, N.Y. woman in connection with the theft and illegal cashing of checks from a local woman more than one decade ago, court documents show. Authorities became aware of the theft in August 2015, when the daughter of an elderly local woman—88 years old at the time—came to police headquarters saying that several personal checks had been stolen and cashed, according to an arrest warrant application filed by Officer Brian Micena and signed by a state Superior Court judge. The mother “needed extensive home care for several years and relied on the same person to manage that care,” Micena said in his police affidavit, though that summer the family had taken a vacation where additional coverage was needed on two weekends. 

The daughter showed police “two suspicious” Oppenheimer Bank checks totaling $3,500, and found that a total of $8,000 had gone missing from a Bank of America checking account, as well, the arrest warrant application said. In all, about 25 checks had gone missing, and the daughter was able to show police several processed checks made out to unknown people.