Police Arrest Second Youth in Sign Thefts

By Andrew Gorosko

A teenager, who recently moved out of the area as police were about to arrest him on a felony in connection with his alleged theft of 46 street signs, has turned himself over to police.

Police said that John “Jack” Rafter, III, of Irvine, Calif., turned himself in at the police station on the morning of September 8, after learning that police held a warrant for his arrest on a charge of third degree larceny. The larceny charge stems from the theft of dozens of street-name signs from all across town. Police said Rafter surrendered to them uneventfully.

Rafter formerly lived at 133 Housatonic Drive in the Shady Rest section of Sandy Hook.

Police released Rafter on a $250 bond for a September 9 court arraignment on the charge.

On August 12, after learning that police held a warrant for his arrest, Mark Walrath, 18, of 11 New Lebbon Road turned himself in and was charged with third degree larceny in connection with the street sign thefts.

In August, in an unusual move, police disclosed that they had a warrant for Rafter’s arrest.

On July 15, Danbury Superior Court had issued an arrest warrant for Rafter. But before police were able to serve that warrant against him, he had moved with his family to Irvine, Calif., police have said.

The stolen signs are being held as evidence in the case by police until the court approves their release. The cost to replace the green-and-white signs is estimated at $2,774.

On July 2, acting on details provided by an informant, police seized the 46 street-name signs that were being kept at Rafter’s Housatonic Drive residence.

The signs had been stolen from places all across town, including Mt Pleasant Road, Chimney Swift Drive, Autumn Ridge Road, Chipmunk Trail, Poverty Hollow Road, Bentagrass Lane, High Rock Road, and Cedar Hill Road, among many others.

Because police must hold the stolen signs as evidence for an unspecified period, the town is expected to use other signs as replacements for the stolen signs. The signs are typically posted at street intersections.

Police have said the theft of street-name signs poses a threat to local public safety.

With street-name signs missing, it may not be apparent to police, fire, and ambulance staffers where certain streets are located when they are responding to emergency calls, which could mean that time is lost in arriving at emergencies, according to police. The town has more than 500 streets.