Police Reports: Energy Drinks, Crash Info

Shoplifting Arrest

Police arrested a 25-year-old West Haven man Tuesday night for allegedly stealing close to $200 worth of energy drinks from Stop & Shop and Walgreens.

Dylan Peck of Main Street was charged with sixth-degree larceny for both incidents and released on $500 bond for a March 23 court date.

At around 6:44 p.m., Stop & Shop told police a man in a green Hoodie and jeans ran out of the 470 Monroe Turnpike store without paying for items in a hand-basket, which he emptied and dropped in the parking lot, before fleeing in green Toyota, according to the report.

Police officers spotted the Toyota leaving the parking lot and stopped it in the Rite Aid pharmacy parking lot at 508 Monroe Turnpike.

Peck was the driver, according to police, who said they found $111 worth of energy drinks stolen from Stop & Shop in the vehicle, along with $88 worth of energy drinks later found to have been stolen from Walgreens.

Sgt. Keith White said criminals often steal energy drinks, so they can sell it to mom and pop stores for quick cash.

Lights Out

A 50-year-old Monroe man was driving his pick up truck west on Purdy Hill Road at 1:12 p.m. Tuesday, when his truck drifted across the east-bound lane and struck a stonewall near the intersection of Greenlawn Road, before severing a telephone pole and bringing the wires down with it, according to the police report.

A police investigation has yet to determine why the truck crossed into the wrong lane. The driver was transported to Bridgeport Hospital for minor injuries.

Over 1,000 homes had lost power at one point before CL&P crews brought the number down to 283 Monroe customers.

Sgt. Keith White said all of the traffic lights on Route 111 went out, including two major intersections across town where Purdy Hill Road and Victoria Drive meet Route 25. The light at Main Street and Monroe Turnpike had also gone out, he said.

Police officers put up temporary stop signs at intersections and directed traffic at both ends of Purdy Hill Road, according to White, who said traffic was detoured down Cutlers Farm Road to Spring Hill Road to connect drivers to Monroe Turnpike and Main Street.

The power company worked quickly to get the traffic lights working again, but White said crews were out until 4 a.m. on Wednesday fixing the pole and wires.