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Ridgefield Police Department

Ridgefield
Police & Fire
Ridgefield Police Officer Who Wore Many Hats During 27 Years On Job Calls It A Career Ridgefield Police Officer Who Wore Many Hats During 27 Years On Job Calls It A Career
Ridgefield Police Officer Who Wore Many Hats During 27 Years On Job Calls It A Career A 27-year-old police veteran in Fairfield County has retired after working as a well-known school resource and patrol officer and receiving numerous citations. Ridgefield Police Officer Luis Caba retired on Friday, Sept. 15 to lots of well wishes from co-workers and the public. Caba started his career with the Ridgefield Police Department in February 1997.  He served in the Patrol Division for 27 years. During his time as an, he wore many hats.  As a school resource officer, Caba was well respected by the students and staff.  He built lasting relationships with the school…

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by Kathy Reakes
Ridgefield
Police & Fire
ID Released After Body Of 31-Year-Old Recovered From Lake Naraneka In Ridgefield ID Released After Body Of 31-Year-Old Recovered From Lake Naraneka In Ridgefield
ID Released After Body Of 31-Year-Old Recovered From Lake Naraneka In Ridgefield The body of a missing Fairfield County man who was last seen swimming in a state park lake has been recovered. Cody Rugar, of New Fairfield, age 31, was found in  Lake Naraneka in Pierrepont State Park in Ridgefield around 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 17 by the Westport Police Dive Team, said Capt. Jeff Raines of the Ridgefield Police Department. Original report: Swimmer Goes Missing At State Park In Ridgefield "Our condolences go out to the Rugar family and anyone else affected by this tragic incident," said Raines. Raines said since going missing on Monday, Aug. 14, more than 20…

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by Kathy Reakes
Ridgefield
Police & Fire
Swimmer Goes Missing At State Park In Ridgefield Swimmer Goes Missing At State Park In Ridgefield
Swimmer Goes Missing At State Park In Ridgefield Police and dive teams are searching for a swimmer who was reported missing at a state park in Fairfield County. The effort to find the person began just before 5 p.m., Monday, Aug. 14, at Pierrepont State Park in Ridgefield, after the Ridgefield Police Department received a call reporting they could not find the person they were swimming with. The missing person is a New Fairfield man in his 30s, Capt. Jeff Raines of the Ridgefield Police said. The man's identity has not been released. Raines said numerous first responders participated in the search on  Monday including: Danbury Pol…

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by Kathy Reakes
Danbury
Police & Fire
4 Charged With Selling Cocaine, Fentanyl, Pills In Danbury, Police Say 4 Charged With Selling Cocaine, Fentanyl, Pills In Danbury, Police Say
4 Charged With Selling Cocaine, Fentanyl, Pills In Danbury, Police Say A months-long operation into a local narcotics trafficking organization in Northern Fairfield County resulted in four arrests and the seizure of large amounts of drugs and cash, police said.  The arrests resulted from the execution of 18 search warrants and an arrest warrant by the Brookfield and Danbury Police Departments on Wednesday, March 8 that stemmed from a months-long investigation into a local narcotics trafficking organization.  The investigation, known as "Operation Trinity Café," began when police responded to a non-fatal overdose in Brookfield and learned that Da…

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by Ben Crnic
Cliffside Park-Edgewater
News
Offender Released After Multi-Town Pursuit Terrorizes Parents Twice In 3 Hours: Fairview PD Offender Released After Multi-Town Pursuit Terrorizes Parents Twice In 3 Hours: Fairview PD
Offender Released After Multi-Town Pursuit Terrorizes Parents Twice In 3 Hours: Fairview PD Imagine a fleeing driver crashing his mother's car into police cruisers three times during a multi-agency pursuit -- sending an officer to the hospital -- then getting released by a judge a short time later. Imagine the same man allegedly going berserk and trashing his parents' apartment, forcing them to lock themselves in the bathroom. Imagine he's taken into custody only to be released again. Meet Joshua Hayes, 30, of Fairview. Borough officers arrested Hayes for the early-morning incident at his folks' home on Monday, March 6. They were back there less than a half-hour after Hayes had …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Cliffside Park-Edgewater
News
Pair Nabbed In Ridgefield Vehicle Burglary Pair Nabbed In Ridgefield Vehicle Burglary
Pair Nabbed In Ridgefield Vehicle Burglary A Ridgefield police officer quickly nabbed one suspect and another was captured soon after following an overnight vehicle break-in, authorities said. The pair bolted into the Ridgefield Nature Center as Officer Kevin Nebbia pulled up to the burglarized vehicle on Bruce Street near Slocum Avenue shortly before 3 a.m., Lt. Bruno Carbone said. Nebbita grabbed one of them and the other vanished into the center, Carbone said. Police from Leonia and Palisades Park and a Bergen County Sheriff's K9 unit helped their Ridgefield colleagues establish a perimeter, the lieutenant said. They flushed ou…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Newtown
News
Off-Duty Cop Who Killed Beloved Bear In Newtown Won't Be Charged Off-Duty Cop Who Killed Beloved Bear In Newtown Won't Be Charged
Off-Duty Cop Who Killed Beloved Bear In Newtown Won't Be Charged An off-duty Fairfield County police officer who killed a beloved local bear will not be charged. Bobbi the black bear was killed on Thursday, May 12 in Newtown by Ridgefield police officer Lawrence Clarke. Last week, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection found that based on an investigation there is "insufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against the homeowner." The incident, which left two bear cubs orphaned, began when Clarke reported to DEEP he shot the bear after numerous encounters with the same bear, known to the state as bear #217, over multiple d…

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by Kathy Reakes
Ridgefield
News
Investigation Underway After Off-Duty Ridgefield Cop Kills Beloved Bear Investigation Underway After Off-Duty Ridgefield Cop Kills Beloved Bear
Investigation Underway After Off-Duty Ridgefield Cop Kills Beloved Bear State officials are investigating after the fatal shooting of Bobbi the Bear by an off-duty police officer in Northern Fairfield County. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and local police are investigating after the bear, a mother to two cubs, was found shot and killed in Newtown on Thursday, May 12. Bobbi, who was beloved by the Newtown community, was shot by an off-duty Ridgefield Police Department officer who was reportedly protecting his chicken coop at his home in Newtown.  The Ridgefield PD issued the following statement: "We are aware that on…

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by Kathy Reakes
Cliffside Park-Edgewater
News
Driver Reports Rented Range Rover Stolen From Outside Bergen Restaurant With $70G Inside Driver Reports Rented Range Rover Stolen From Outside Bergen Restaurant With $70G Inside
Driver Reports Rented Range Rover Stolen From Outside Bergen Restaurant With $70G Inside An out-of-towner who stopped for some Korean barbecue in Ridgefield told police he emerged to find his rented Range Rover missing -- along with $70,000 in cash that he said a friend had loaned him. The 50-year-old Asian traveler from Chicago said he'd gotten the vehicle from the Enterprise-Rent-A-Car at O'Hare Airport, Ridgefield Police Chief Thomas Gallagher said. He told police he'd stopped in Philadelphia to visit a friend who loaned him the fat stacks. Last week, he grabbed dinner at the Dae Ji Ssonday restaurant in the HMart shopping center on Broad Avenue. He told police he came…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Cliffside Park-Edgewater
Events
Ridgefield's Finest, Bravest Team Up To Raise Money For Breast Cancer Research, Awareness Ridgefield's Finest, Bravest Team Up To Raise Money For Breast Cancer Research, Awareness
Ridgefield's Finest, Bravest Team Up To Raise Money For Breast Cancer Research, Awareness Ridgefield police and firefighters responded in full force, smashing homers and snagging flies, in a charity softball game to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and research. Members donned customized T-shirts that were sold to boost the fundraising effort. The fire department and PBA Local 330 teamed up with the Ridgefield Athletic Organization to donate more than $2,750 to the Hackensack Meridian Health Theurer Cancer Center. All for a worthy cause.Ridgefield PBA Local 330 The borough's bravest brought the heat, but Ridgefield's finest outscored the smoke eaters, 11-8, in the …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Bridgeport
Police & Fire
One Killed, Two Injured In Fairfield County Crash One Killed, Two Injured In Fairfield County Crash
One Killed, Two Injured In Fairfield County Crash A Fairfield County man was killed and two others injured during an early morning crash. The crash took place around 1:40 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 25 on Danbury Road near the intersection of Route 35 in Ridgefield. According to Captain Shawn Platt of the Ridgefield Police Department, said Nicholas Vega, age 25, of Danbury, was killed during the crash. Police said the crash occurred when a vehicle traveling north on Danbury crossed over into the southbound lane striking another vehicle, driven by 71-year-old Edward Makowski, of Bethel. The drivers of both vehicles and the passenger, ident…

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by Kathy Reakes
Cliffside Park-Edgewater
News
Son Of Infamous Bergen County Burglar Charged With ID Theft, Unemployment Fraud Son Of Infamous Bergen County Burglar Charged With ID Theft, Unemployment Fraud
Son Of Infamous Bergen County Burglar Charged With ID Theft, Unemployment Fraud The son of an infamous Bergen County burglar was charged with unemployment fraud after a shoplifting bust in Virginia, authorities said. A judge ordered Daniel Gatson Jr., 24, of Ridgefield released this week after he was booked into the Bergen County Jail hours earlier, records show. Gatson assumed another identity to open bank accounts, then applied for and received unemployment benefits from the state of New Jersey, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said, without specifying the amount. Detectives in Fairfax County, VA discovered this while investigating a shoplifting, the prose…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Brookfield
Police & Fire
Man Killed After Vehicle Crashes Into Embankment In Fairfield County Man Killed After Vehicle Crashes Into Embankment In Fairfield County
Man Killed After Vehicle Crashes Into Embankment In Fairfield County A man was killed after his vehicle left the roadway and struck an embankment in Fairfield County. Carl Whitbeck, age 43, of Ridgefield, was killed around 2 p.m., Thursday, July 29 during the crash on Branchville Road in Ridgefield. According to Captain Shawn Platt, Whitbeck's vehicle was traveling east when it crossed over the westbound lane leaving the roadway.  The vehicle then struck an embankment before coming to rest.  Whitbeck, who was alone in the vehicle, was transported to the Danbury Hospital for evaluation of his injuries and was later pr…

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by Kathy Reakes
Fort Lee
News
Ridgefield Laborers Charged With Sexually Assaulting Minors Ridgefield Laborers Charged With Sexually Assaulting Minors
Ridgefield Laborers Charged With Sexually Assaulting Minors ICE has issued detainers on two related Ridgefield laborers after they were jailed on charges of sexually assaulting underage victims. Oscar Hernandez Estrada, 43, sexually abused two pre-teens while his brother-in-law, Daniel Aria Estrada, 24, “engaged in sexual conduct including sexual penetration” of a child while at their residence in Ridgefield, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Ridgefield police fielded the complaints and notified Musella’s Special Victims Unit detectives and the state Department of Child Protection and Permanency. The Estradas, who live in the same Hillsi…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Brookfield
Police & Fire
Busy Fairfield County Roadway Closed After Woman Crashes Into Utility Pole, Police Say Busy Fairfield County Roadway Closed After Woman Crashes Into Utility Pole, Police Say
Busy Fairfield County Roadway Closed After Woman Crashes Into Utility Pole, Police Say A Fairfield County roadway remains closed after an area woman crashed into a utility pole in a single-vehicle crash. Isabella Gould, age 26, of Danbury, was injured following the crash at around 11 p.m., Thursday, April 1 on Main Street in Ridgefield, said Capt. Shawn Platt of the Ridgefield Police Department. Gould was traveling southbound when she crossed over the northbound lane striking a utility pole on the opposite side of the road causing it to break and fall into the roadway.  She was treated at the scene and transported to the Danbury Hospital for serious, but …

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by Kathy Reakes
Brookfield
Police & Fire
Window Broken By Bullet At Fairfield County Home, Police Say Window Broken By Bullet At Fairfield County Home, Police Say
Window Broken By Bullet At Fairfield County Home, Police Say Police in Fairfield County are investigating a suspicious incident in which a bullet broke a window in an area home. The broken window from the bullet was found around 1:49 p.m., Thursday, March 4, on Mamanasco Road in Ridgefield. The homeowner contacted the police after finding a broken window in their home that was caused by a bullet. Officers checked the area for evidence of individuals firing weapons but could not find any evidence of foul play, Ridgefield PD Captain Shawn Platt said. "It appears that the bullet was not intentionally fired at the home," Platt said. The …

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by Kathy Reakes
Fairfield
Police & Fire
ID Released For 20-Year-Old Killed In Head-On Route 7 Crash ID Released For 20-Year-Old Killed In Head-On Route 7 Crash
ID Released For 20-Year-Old Killed In Head-On Route 7 Crash A 20-year-old man has been identified as the victim of a fatal two-vehicle crash in Fairfield County on Route 7. The crash took place around 4:02 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 14, on Route 7 near Stonehenge Road in Ridgefield. The two vehicles collided head-on, and both drivers needed to be extricated from their vehicles, said Ridgefield Police Captain Shawn Platt. Jose Miguel Guillen-Hernandez, of Waterbury, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, Platt said. The driver of the second vehicle, Karol Mora, age 44, of Ridgefield, was transported to Danbury Hospital for an evalu…

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by Kathy Reakes
Ridgefield
Police & Fire
Home Burglary Under Investigation In Ridgefield Home Burglary Under Investigation In Ridgefield
Home Burglary Under Investigation In Ridgefield Police investigators are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and locating suspects who broke into a home on a quiet Ridgefield street and stole several items, including a car. The Ridgefield Police Department is probing the burglary on Encampment Place that occurred in the early morning on Thursday, Nov. 5. According to police, the suspects gained entry to a garage through an unsecured window, at which point a number of home and yard tools were stolen, as well as multiple bottles of alcohol. Police said that the suspects proceeded to leave through the garage by taking a 2000 Acu…

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by Zak Failla
Ridgefield
Police & Fire
Three Business Burglaries Under Investigation In Ridgefield Three Business Burglaries Under Investigation In Ridgefield
Three Business Burglaries Under Investigation In Ridgefield Three commercial burglaries in Northern Fairfield County are under investigation after suspects broke into businesses and stole cash and cash registers. An alert was issued by Ridgefield Police Capt. Shawn Platt who said that three burglaries were reported overnight on Monday, Oct. 26. Platt said that in each instance, forced entry was made by breaking a door window and unlocking a door. Two incidents were reported on North Street. The third business broken into was on West Lane.  The same tactics were used to gain entry in each burglary, police said. Once inside, police said that …

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by Zak Failla
Danbury
Police & Fire
Police Urge '9 P.M. Routine' Amid County-Wide Spike In Thefts From Vehicles Police Urge '9 P.M. Routine' Amid County-Wide Spike In Thefts From Vehicles
Police Urge '9 P.M. Routine' Amid County-Wide Spike In Thefts From Vehicles Following a rash of property crimes and thefts from vehicles, police in the area urging residents to adopt a new routine. The department implores residents, using the hashtag "#9pmRoutine," Ridgefield Police Department are telling residents to check whether their homes, car doors and garage doors are securely locked as a nightly ritual. Similarly, the Westport Police Department is imploring residents to be more mindful of whether their cars are locked as the town is seeing a spike in thefts from vehicles. "Since July 10, Westport police have taken a total of 14 additional stolen motor vehi…

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by Christina Coulter
Ridgefield
News
New Bear Sighting Reported In Ridgefield New Bear Sighting Reported In Ridgefield
New Bear Sighting Reported In Ridgefield Some area residents received an unexpected visitor, as a bear took a stroll through a local neighborhood. Animal Control officers from the Ridgefield Police Department received a report at approximately 8 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26, of a black bear that was making the rounds on High Ridge Avenue. Police said that the bear was spotted walking down the roadway, though it did not present any danger as it headed south on High Ridge Avenue. The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection was alerted, and the bear shuffled off without incident. Officials warned that bears are…

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by Zak Failla
Ridgefield
News
Suspect On Loose After Luring Incident Involving Man, Girl Walking On Street In Ridgefield Suspect On Loose After Luring Incident Involving Man, Girl Walking On Street In Ridgefield
Suspect On Loose After Luring Incident Involving Man, Girl Walking On Street In Ridgefield A suspicious man approached a girl walking on a quiet residential street in the area, asking her to enter his vehicle before taking off when she rebuffed him, police said. Officers from the Ridgefield Police Department responded to a reported suspicious incident at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Monday, May 25, on Gilbert Street near the intersection of Main Street involving a minor and a man in a sedan. According to police, the girl was approached by the driver, who told her to get in his vehicle. After refusing and changing direction, the driver continued down Gilbert Street making a right tu…

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by Zak Failla
Litchfield
Police & Fire
COVID-19: Police Warn Motorists To Keep Vehicles Locked Amid Pandemic COVID-19: Police Warn Motorists To Keep Vehicles Locked Amid Pandemic
Covid-19: Police Warn Motorists To Keep Vehicles Locked Amid Pandemic With thefts from vehicles and stolen car incidents being reported through Fairfield County, police are reminding residents that car burglars and thieves aren't heeding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) warning to stay thieves. The Greenwich Police Department said it received reports on Sunday, March 29, of five stolen vehicles overnight. Two have been recovered. All of the vehicles had the keys left inside and were unlocked, police said. Ridgefield Police also reported a stolen vehicle incident as well as thefts from unlocked vehicles. On Monday, March 30, Greenwich officers captured …

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by Kathy Reakes
Hackensack
Police & Fire
HERO: Ridgefield Police Officer Rescues Mom, Kids From House Fire HERO: Ridgefield Police Officer Rescues Mom, Kids From House Fire
Hero: Ridgefield Police Officer Rescues Mom, Kids From House Fire A Ridgefield police officer kicked in a door and rescued a mother and children from a raging house fire Saturday morning. Sgt. Edward Schaefer was walking out of the headquarters when he saw smoke coming from a block away. Schaefer, a 20-year veteran and firefighter, ran to the Hillside Street home. Smoke poured from the house as he got the mother and kids out. Flames were consuming the second floor and attic when Schaefer then turned and -- without protective gear -- went back inside to make sure there wasn’t anyone left. Schaefer, who was assisted by Officers Hagop Cigercioglu and Andr…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Ridgefield
News
Car Crashes Into Pole Near School In Ridgefield Car Crashes Into Pole Near School In Ridgefield
Car Crashes Into Pole Near School In Ridgefield A roadway was closed by police after a driver crashed into a utility pole near an area elementary school in Ridgefield. Police closed Barlow Mountain Road at the intersection of North Street at approximately 8 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5 after a driver struck the pole and felled wires near Scotland Elementary School. Only one vehicle was involved in the crash, with one reported injury. According to the Ridgefield Police Department, parents can use Ledges Road to access the Barlow Mountain School and Scotland School area.

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by Zak Failla
Cliffside Park-Edgewater
Police & Fire
Fairview Drug Fugitive, Palisades Park Driver Nabbed By Ridgefield Police Fairview Drug Fugitive, Palisades Park Driver Nabbed By Ridgefield Police
Fairview Drug Fugitive, Palisades Park Driver Nabbed By Ridgefield Police A defendant who skipped court on charges of operating a heroin factory from his Fairview home was captured by Ridgefield police, who said they found him carrying crack and illegal prescription drugs during a predawn traffic stop. Taken into custody was Jose Ulloa, 31, Ridgefield Police Chief Thomas J. Gallagher said Wednesday. The car had no rear lights and only one headlight operating when Officer Hagop Cigercioglu stopped it at 1:20 a.m. Tuesday, Gallagher said. A computer check determined that the license of the driver, 39-year-old Renata Ramos, was suspended, the chief said. Hagop als…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Cliffside Park-Edgewater
Police & Fire
Didn't Even Stop For Santa: Undercover Ridgefield Police Nail Dozens Of Non-Yielding Drivers Didn't Even Stop For Santa: Undercover Ridgefield Police Nail Dozens Of Non-Yielding Drivers
Didn't Even Stop For Santa: Undercover Ridgefield Police Nail Dozens Of Non-Yielding Drivers With more and more pedestrians being killed and injured on North Jersey roads, Ridgefield police staged a holiday season undercover operation that had eye-popping results. Drivers didn't even stop for Santa -- and he was in the crosswalk. Some motorists openly questioned the officers' holiday spirit, but police said it's not a matter of being naughty or nice. Lives are too important for that. "We had several pedestrians struck recently," Ridgefield Police Chief Thomas Gallagher said. "We're just trying to keep people safe." Thursday's undercover detail outside the busy Ridgefield post of…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Fort Lee
Police & Fire
Homeless Man, 34, Found Dead In Ridgefield Homeless Man, 34, Found Dead In Ridgefield
Homeless Man, 34, Found Dead In Ridgefield An autopsy was scheduled Saturday to determine what killed a homeless man whose body was found in Ridgefield. The 34-year-old victim's body was found Friday along the railroad tracks near Linden Avenue beneath the Route 46 bridge, authorities said. They suspect he may have fallen and hit his head. The Bergen County Prosecutor's Major Crimes Unit Homicide Squad was investigating along with Ridgefield police. The county Medical Examiner collected the body for the autopsy. CHECK BACK FOR MORE DETAILS

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by Jerry DeMarco
Fairfield
Police & Fire
Police Searching For Vehicle Stolen From Driveway Of Ridgefield Home Police Searching For Vehicle Stolen From Driveway Of Ridgefield Home
Police Searching For Vehicle Stolen From Driveway Of Ridgefield Home Ridgefield police are searching for one of two cars stolen in town overnight.  One incident took place during the early morning hours on Wednesday, Oct. 30, on Conley Court, said Ridgefield Police Capt. Shawn Platt. One of the vehicles, a red Ford Focus, was recovered abandoned in Bridgeport, Platt said. The second, a gray Toyota Sequoia, has not been recovered, he said.  Both vehicles were unlocked with the keys inside.  If anyone has any information regarding these cases they are asked to contact the Ridgefield Police Department at 203-438-6531.

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by Kathy Reakes
Ridgefield
Police & Fire
Burglary Reported At Popular Restaurant In Ridgefield Burglary Reported At Popular Restaurant In Ridgefield
Burglary Reported At Popular Restaurant In Ridgefield Ridgefield Police are actively investigating the theft of a cash drawer from a popular local restaurant.  The burglary took place in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Oct. 16, at the Hideaway Restaurant on Grove Stree, said Ridgefield Police Capt. Shawn Platt. A cash drawer containing $300 was reported to be missing from the restaurant, Platt said.  There was no evidence of forced entry, and there are no suspects at this time, he added. The case is under investigation by the Detective Bureau. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Detective Bureau at 203-431-2794.

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by Kathy Reakes
Ridgefield
Lifestyle
Wandering Potbelly Pig Reunited With Owner In Ridgefield Wandering Potbelly Pig Reunited With Owner In Ridgefield
Wandering Potbelly Pig Reunited With Owner In Ridgefield It only took a day for a lost potbelly pig to be reunited with her owner in Fairfield County. The pig, sorry, don't know her name, was found at 1:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 21, wandering in the area of Barrack and Grandview in Ridgefield, said Ridgefield Police Department Animal Control Officer Kris Zulkeski. Zulkeski took the pig back to animal control and snapped a picture and posted it to Facebook in hopes of finding its owner. After more than 900 shares, the pig's owner was found and the two were reunited on Tuesday, Oct. 22.  "This is the first pig I have found in Ridgefield," Zulkes…

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by Kathy Reakes