Police Blotter: Parts Stolen, Van Defaced With Dog Waste

The following information was provided by the Darien Police Department:

Monday, June 7

LARCENY: Police responded to a report of tire and wheel missing from a vehicle parked in a Leroy Avenue lot. The owner of the 2003 Saab 9-3 said he had left the vehicle unattended from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., returning to find the front right corner of the car resting on its hub. The tire and wheel were valued collectively at $150.

Wednesday, June 9

VANDALISM: Police received a report that dog droppings had been smeared on the windshield of a 2009 Kia Sedona parked at Avalon Darien. The owner, a resident of the complex, told police the vehicle had been unattended between 8 a.m. on June 8 and 7:50 a.m. on June 9. No permanent damage was reported.

Thursday, June 10

LARCENY: The owner of a 2003 Mitsubishi Eclipse parked at Tokeneke Beach Club returned to his vehicle to discover damage to the front right driver's side panel, according to police. When he opened the hood for further inspection, the owner noticed that an aftermarket air intake filter, value at $70, was missing. He told police he had left the vehicle at 7:45 a.m. that morning; the report was filed at 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 12

ALCOHOL TO MINORS: A 17 year-old resident of West Avenue in Darien was charged with providing alcohol to minors after hosting an unattended party. Based on a call to the department's tip line, police went to the youth's residence around 10:54 p.m., where they observed several individuals—none appearing to be of age—consuming beer through the windows. When they entered the house, officers noticed a strong odor of alcohol, numerous beer cans, and a beer pong setup in the basement.

A number of youths fled from the officers upstairs and downstairs, the remaining 12 of whom were identified and turned over to the custody of their parents. The 17-year-old host told police he had invited a small number of friends but that others he didn't know had also shown up. Officers contacted his mother and released him to her custody on a promise to appear in court June 23.

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE: Giovanni Vega, 41, of Bronxville, N.Y. was charged with operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol after police observed him driving erratically. As Vega's 1999 BMW 328 exited southbound I-95 around 9:15 p.m., an officer noticed him stop in the middle of the intersection at Post Road, continue onto a second stop, and reenter I-95 south, where he nearly struck another vehicle. When he was pulled over at exit 16, Vega exhibited reduced motor skills and a strong odor of alcohol. He admitted to drinking but was uncooperative when asked to perform field sobriety tests, police said, leading to his arrest.

A history of failure to appear charges led police to set Vega's bond at $10,000, which he posted through a bail bondsman. (Connecticut court records also show a 2001 guilty plea to a charge of reckless driving under a man matching Vega's name and birth year.) He is set to appear in court June 22.

Sunday, June 13

DRUG CHARGES: A man was arrested for possession of marijuana and narcotics Sunday afternoon after a traffic stop for a missing license plate led to a search of his car.

Read the full story here: Missing License Plate Snowballs Into Drug Charges