Date:
November 23, 2016
Re:
Update on Suspicious Person Incident
Issued by:
Det. Sgt. Jeremiah P.
Marron Jr.
For
Immediate Release
Darien, CT – On
November 17, 2016 at approximately 8:30 am, the Darien Police Department
received a report of a white male dressed in full camouflage in the woods within
close proximity to Darien High School. Based on the report, the Darien
High School and nearby nursery schools were alerted and took precautionary
measures until the Darien Police determined that there wasn’t a danger.
Officers remained in the area for the next several hours.
During a search of the area,
officers discovered two tree stands and a deer bait station used for hunting.
The stands and the bait station were located approximately 30 feet west of the
property line of a Middlesex Rd. residence.
This particular area is a very small wooded area that backs up to the
property of the Darien High School. The homeowner of the Middlesex Rd.
residence indicated that he had not given anyone permission to use the property
to hunt deer. It was later determined that this area of the woods was owned by
the Town of Darien.
Officers then contacted the
Town of Darien Department of Public Works who responded and removed the two
tree stands and bait station. The property was brought back and secured at the Darien
Police Department.
At approximately 12:30 pm, the same day, officers
identified the “suspicious person” as a local hunter. The hunter, Andrew Ham of Wilton, CT, stated
that he believed the area he was hunting was an area he had authorization to be
in. Ham,
who possessed a valid hunting license, stated that he had set up three tree
stands in the woods and bow hunts for deer.
Ham stated that he left the woods around 0830 hours that morning.
Ham explained that he has a long standing
verbal agreement with a local property owner who he believed owned the land he
was hunting. Since written permission is
required to hunt on the property in question and the fact Ham was unable to
produce any documentation indicating such, Ham was issued an infraction for
Simple Trespass.
The complainant, the administration of Darien
High School, and the United Methodist Preschool were advised that the situation
has been resolved.
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