News

Chief: Stolen Vehicles in New Canaan on Pace to Nearly Double in 2021

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New Canaan is on pace to see about 50 stolen vehicles this year, according to Police Chief Leon Krolikowski, a figure that would nearly double the total of 27 from 2020. The chief told members of the Police Commission at their regular meeting last week the he’s “hoping that levels off.”

“And we are working with some of our state legislators and the state itself, there are some promises of money to create a task force to go after these folks that are stealing the vehicles,” Krolikowski said during the meeting, held July 26 via videoconference. “I have been speaking with our state’s attorney to see what legally we can do, specifically with respect to investigations,” he continued. “And it’s challenging because if someone steals a car and dumps the car somewhere, merely because their DNA or a fingerprint is found in the car, does not necessarily equate to a crime being committed, so it’s challenging in that regard. And we are not sure yet whether our lab is going to process these presumably hundreds of vehicles that get stolen across Connecticut, if they are going to process the evidence related to that, meaning DNA or fingerprints.

News

Police Commissioner Urges New Canaan Residents To Remove Valuables from Vehicles, Lock Up

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As car thefts continue to rise in New Canaan, the head of the Police Commission last week urged residents to lock up and ensure valuables are removed from parked vehicles both at home and in public places. Despite the upward trend, “people continue to leave their keys in their cars,” Commission Chair Paul Foley said during the appointed body’s June 16 meeting, held via videoconference. “They continue to leave bags and valuables on the front seats, back seats, visible,” Foley said. “Windows aren’t being broken as I understand—except in the parks, if they leave a bag in the parks, the windows have been smashed. Again, none of these perpetrators are townspeople, that we know of.

Jim McLaughlin

Police Commission Votes 2-1 To Widen Sections of Sidewalk on Elm Street

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Municipal officials at a recent meeting voted in favor of a proposal to widen parts of the sidewalk along the one-way stretch of Elm Street downtown. The Police Commission at May 19 meeting reviewed a proposal to widen sidewalks at Elm and South Avenue, as well as along the north side of Elm Street between South and The Playhouse. Plans also call for a sidewalk “bump-out” at the crosswalk in front of the Bank of America building and converting six parking spaces on Elm into 15-minute spots, officials have said. Public Works Director Tiger Mann said the widened sidewalks would help restaurants accommodate outdoor dining and allow for expanded retail space. “In this day and age, the majority of people want to come downtown, that’s one of the reasons why New Canaan is so successful, we have a vibrant downtown,” he told members of the Commission at their regular meeting, held via videoconference. 

He continued, “It’s the walkability thereof that brought to the forefront.

Government

Police Commission Approves Road Closures for July 17 Sidewalk Sale

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New Canaan’s local traffic authority last week approved a request to close a main drag in the heart of the downtown for a Saturday in July for the one of the community’s most popular annual events. The Police Commission vote unanimously to close the one-way stretch of Elm Street, part of Forest Street and the “Pop-Up Park” area at Elm and South for the Sidewalk Sale, to be held July 17. “We are not going to close Main Street this year, which we would have had to ask the state for permission for that,” New Canaan Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Laura Budd told members of the Commission at their regular meeting, held May 19 via videoconference. “It will be bigger than last year, where we asked for two days to close the street. This year, we’re just going to ask for one.

Government

Netflix To Film Christmas Movie on Main Street in June 

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New Canaan’s local traffic authority this week approved a request to close part of Main Street overnight on a Sunday into Monday next month so that Netflix can shoot scenes for a Christmas movie. “The Noel Diary” starring Justin Hartley, Bonnie Bedeilia and Treat Williams should come out next year, the movie’s location manager, Michael Fucci, told members of the Police Commission at their regular meeting Wednesday. A film crew will shoot some scenes at a Wydendown Road home later this month and then will return for June 27 and 28, Fucci said during the meeting, held via videoconference. “We have one or two scenes that we’d like to shoot around 6 p.m. on Elm Street, which we are still trying to fine-tune that,” he said. “But the bigger scene wants to take place in front of Town Hall on Main Street, between Locust Avenue and East Avenue.