Police: Magazine Solicitor Tried to Steal from Two Homes

A magazine solicitor with a criminal record was confronted by one Darien resident in her home, and police found him with items stolen from a second home in town when they arrested him, Darien police said.
The 21-year-old Chicago man was out of breath and shaking when a police officer talked to him, police said.

Darien police issued this news release Monday:

On Friday, July 18, 2014 at approximately 3:30pm, officers responded to the 800 block of Hollow Tree Ridge Rd. on the report of a burglary that had just occurred. The female victim explained that after working in her yard, she walked into her garage to find the interior door, leading into the residence, wide open.

She was then startled by a male subject who was crouched down in front of her vehicle parked in the garage. She could see that he was holding a bag of dishrags that she stores in the garage. When she confronted him, the subject stated that he was selling magazines.

She ordered him out of the garage and called the police. The victim described the subject as a black male, approximately 5’6” wearing a white shirt, khaki pants, and a tie. He was last seen walking north on Hollow Tree Ridge Road.

After the victim entered her residence, she observed that an Apple computer from an upstairs den, had been disconnected, removed, and was now downstairs placed just inside the open garage door.

While en route to the area, officers received a complaint from the 800 block of Hollow Tree Ridge Rd. that an iPod had just been stolen from the residence and a black male having the same description was seen walking away from the area.

The iPod had been located on a table just inside the unlocked front door to the home and the residents were inside but unaware that the subject had entered.

Responding officers quickly established a perimeter to the area and began searching for the suspect.

A short time later, an officer monitoring upper Hoyt St. observed a subject having the same description walking along the roadway.

The officer detained the subject who was out of breath and visibly shaking. He was identified as Stanley Bradford, age 21, of 10729 S. Hale St., Chicago, IL.

It was quickly determined that Bradford was responsible for the burglaries and he was taken into custody without incident. Various electronic devices and property from both residences were located on Bradford’s person.

Bradford stated that he is employed by Urban Development Solutions of Michigan City, IN and he is in the area selling magazine subscriptions door-to-door.

Bradford was subsequently charged with: second-degree burglary, third-degree burglary, sixth-degree larceny, criminal attempt at fifth-degree larceny and (a local town ordinance) soliciting without a permit.

Bradford was held on a $50,000 bond and is scheduled to be arraigned in Stamford Superior Court this morning.

The Darien Police Detective Division is exploring possible connections to additional burglaries that have occurred in town recently and in other adjacent jurisdictions. Anyone with information concerning this incident or other similar incidents is asked to call the Darien Police Detective Division at 203-662-5330.