Youth Charged With Conspiracy

In Laundromat Theft

By Andrew Gorosko

Police have arrested a second teenager in connection with what initially had appeared to be a nighttime robbery last April at a laundromat in Sandy Hook Center.

The 16-year-old male clerk who was working at PJ’s Laundromat at 110 Church Hill Road allegedly criminally conspired with the person who was reported to have robbed him of a large amount of quarters and some currency just before closing time on the night of April 1, according to police.

Thus, on September 28, police Detective Jason Frank found the youth in question and served an arrest warrant against him, charging him with conspiracy to commit fourth-degree larceny, criminal liability for fourth-degree larceny, second-degree making a false statement, and interfering with police, according to Detective Sergeant John Cole.

Fourth-degree larceny involves the theft of items valued at between $500 and $1,000.

The youth whom police arrested this week is considered a “youthful offender,” who is under age 18 and whose identity is shielded from disclosure by state law.

The youth posted $10,000 bail and was released for arraignment on the charges on October 5 in Danbury Youthful Offender Court, Det Sgt Cole said.

Det Sgt Cole declined to provide specifics about the police probe into the April incident, saying that the case remains under investigation and may result in more arrests.

Det Sgt Cole explained that the youth was working as a clerk at the laundromat at about 8:43 pm on April 1, when police received a call that the laundromat had been robbed. Many police responded to the scene to investigate at the laundromat which has video surveillance.

The clerk told police that the “robber” told him that he had a gun, demanded money from the business, and then made off with a metal bucket filled with quarters and currency. The alleged thief then reportedly entered a nearby vehicle, which drove away from the area. No weapon was shown during the incident, according to police. There were no injuries.

After conducting an investigation into the April laundromat incident, on May 21 police served an arrest warrant against a 17-year-old youth charging him with second-degree robbery for allegedly robbing the clerk at the laundromat. After his arrest, that youth posted $5,000 bail and was released for a subsequent appearance in Danbury Youthful Offender Court.

Again, because that youth is under age 18, his identity is shielded from disclosure.

Thus, the course of both youths’ court cases and the eventual disposition of the charges which are pending against them are not publicly disclosed by the authorities.