by Lt. Rose Dell | Sep 23, 2019 3:30 pm

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Posted to: Legal Writes, Amity/ Beverly Hills, West Hills, West Rock, Westville

Really, officer, I just happened to find these bags of shrimp in the Stop & Shop bathroom ...

A west side cop caught up with a Stop & Shopper whom a manager caught hauling pilfered crustacean meat out of the supermarket — and the cop didn’t buy the alibi.

Also, American flag-waving teens trashed Katherine Brennan School after hours, and a “porch pirate” is back on the prowl.

Those are among the incidents contained in the latest weekly report from top West Hills/ Westville/ West Rock/ Amity/ Beaver Hills cop Lt. Rose Dell. Her report follows:

FROM 9/13/19 to 9/21/19 POLICE RESPONDED TO 200 CALLS FOR SERVICE IN THE WESTVILLE/WEST HILLS SECTION OF NEW HAVEN. THE FOLLOWING IS A BRIEF SUMMARY OF NOTABLE INCIDENTS:

On 9/13, a purse was stolen from an enclosed porch on West Rock Avenue. The owner believed she locked the porch door, and there were no signs of forced entry.

An Uber driver picked up a passenger in Guilford to transport him to Westville. In transit, the passenger became unruly and appeared to be under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. He vomited all over the vehicle, opened the door while the car was in motion and then threatened to beat up the driver. A warrant will be issued for the passenger’s arrest.

On 9/14, around 8:45 pm, 8 teenagers broke into Katherine Brennan School. They ransacked the school and stole multiple fire extinguishers. Numerous lunch room refrigerators were pulled open and several thousands of dollars’ worth of food had to be discarded. The teenagers are seen on surveillance video exiting the school and waving an American flag. Officers are reviewing footage of the incident to identify the perpetrators.

A resident of the 500 block of Valley Street reported that 3 large televisions were stolen from her home. She noticed an open bedroom window, but the doors were all locked.

Overnight on 9/15 brake light wires were cut on a vehicle parked in a driveway on Chapel Street, and a tailgate light bar was stolen. This is the third time the resident has had to replace the tailgate light.

This week four wallets were stolen from unlocked vehicles in Westville. A wallet was stolen from an unlocked vehicle on Cleveland Road overnight on 9/17. The resident’s credit cards were used at twelve different locations throughout the City. Officers are reviewing video footage from these establishments to determine the perpetrator’s identity. Another bag with a driver’s license, prescription medication, and an ATM card were stolen from a vehicle on Central Avenue on the same night. The resident said she intentionally left her vehicle unlocked, because she didn’t want her windows smashed. On 9/12, a resident of the 900 block of Whalley Avenue also reported a break-in. A wallet, containing numerous credit cards, and a $400 pair of Christian Dior sunglasses were stolen. There were no signs of forced entry into the vehicle. A resident of West Elm Street had her vehicle rummaged through and a Ziploc filled with ketchup packets and tartar sauce were stolen. The resident said she developed a bad habit of not locking her car doors since she moved into this upscale neighborhood. Another wallet was stolen out of unlocked vehicle on Edgewood Way on 9/21.

On 9/18, at 11:30 pm, Officers responded to a hit-and-run accident at the Webster Bank on Whalley Avenue. A white pick-up truck struck a parked Nissan sedan. The force of the collision pushed the Nissan onto the sidewalk and into the stairs and railing of the Webster Bank. The Nissan also struck a bus stop sign which was then lodged through the front glass door of the bank. The passenger of the pick-up was transported to the hospital for injuries sustained in the crash, but the driver fled the scene. The passenger said that the driver was someone she just met at the Best Way Inn that she only knew by first name. They were on their way to pick up some food when the pick-up rear-ended the Nissan. The pick-up truck is registered to a P.O. Box in Arizona. The case remains under investigation.

Another porch pirate is in the area. A resident of Yale Avenue saw a male pick up a package off the front porch and then throw it on the ground. The package contained a Fruit of the Earth aloe vera bottle. The pirate is a black male who wore tan pants, and a blue jacket with a white stripe. Another resident on Cleveland Road said she had a gift package delivered on 9/19. The package was opened, the contents tampered with, but nothing was stolen.

On Thursday evening, Officer Ronald Pressley worked an extra-duty job at Stop & Shop on Amity Road. He was alerted by the store manager that a male had walked out of the store without paying for a couple of bags of shrimp. The male argued that he found the shrimp in the bathroom. He was arrested and issued a summons for the theft and taken into custody for an outstanding drug warrant.

At around 1 am, on 9/20, Officers responded to a residence on Central Avenue for a person stabbed. A victim was located and transported to Yale-New Haven Hospital to be treated for a stab wound and other injuries. His condition was deemed critical but stable. A preliminary investigation indicates that the incident occurred inside the residence, and the perpetrators may have been known to the victim.