2 Volunteer Stamford Firefighters Charged with 'Larcenous Spree'

Stamford Police announced Wednesday the arrest of two Belltown Volunteer Firefighters for their alleged roles in the theft of emergency lighting equipment from public officials in January and March of this year.

According to a statement from Lt. Diedrich Hohn, Nicholas Hazel, 20, of Hillcrest Avenue, and Jessy Michael Gallagher, 18, of Stillwater Avenue, were involved in several burglaries and larcenies throughout the city during that timeline.

The Springdale Volunteer firehouse was burglarized on March 20, 2013, by several unknown suspects who reportedly took several items of emergency lighting equipment.

Hazel and Gallagher, volunteers at Belltown, were eventually developed as suspects, along with two juveniles. During executions of search warrants on those suspect's homes, several items were reportedly collected that led police to additional thefts by the group, Hohn said.

Hohn said police recovered evidence that the group had been involved in the larceny of Fire Chief Antonio Conte’s and Stratford’s Fire Chief Robert McGrath’s vehicle, both of which were parked at their private residences. Also recovered were lights from from a Connecticut State Trooper vehicle parked at the trooper's Stamford residence.

Hohn said all suspects were interviewed and several admitted to "their involvement in this larcenous spree."

Gallagher was charged with third-degree burglary, conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary, fourth-degree larceny, sixth-degree larceny and second-degree criminal mischief.

Hazel was charged with two counts third-degree burglary, three counts fourth-degree larceny, two counts fifth-degree larceny, three counts second-degree criminal mischief, two counts conspiracy to commit fifth-degree larceny and two counts conspiracy to commit third-degree burglary.

Hohn commended the work of Sgt. Andrew Gallagher and officers Mike Stempien and John Russell, who led the investigation and tied the incidents together, leading to the arrests of the suspects. 

Editor's note: This article originally was published by Stamford Patch.