Cheshire Police Officer Arrested on Dog Theft Allegation
Naugatuck Patch photo sparked investigation that led to arrest of a Naugatuck couple, police said.
A Cheshire police officer, who was a witness during the trial of convicted killer Joshua Komisarjevsky, and his wife were both arrested by Naugatuck police in connection to a dog-theft incident, police said.
Thomas and Dawn Wright, both 39, of Naugatuck, turned themselves in to the borough police department on Wednesday after learning of a warrant charging them with stealing a dog, obstructing an animal control officer and fourth-degree larceny.
According to Naugatuck police spokesman Lt. Robert Harrison, a complaint was lodged with police in September after a borough resident stumbled upon a photo of a black pug posted on Naugatuck Patch.
The woman was researching the history of her home when she came across an article published on March 2 about a basement fire at 199 Allerton Road, Harrison said. According to firefighters at the scene, the home was occupied by a Cheshire police officer at the time.
The complainant then told police that the picture posted on Naugatuck Patch of a pug rescued from the fire was her dog that went missing in January 2010. Harrison said the woman filed a report with the Naugatuck Animal Control Office on Jan. 27 about her missing pug.
“Based on that (Patch) article, she started to make inquiries into the location of the dog, with both veterinarians and animal control officers,” Harrison said.
He said the Wrights have had the pug in their possession for more than a year since finding the dog roaming on the street.
The dog had an embedded identity chip, Harrison said, but the Wrights refused to allow police to scan the dog’s chip to confirm whether the pug was the reported missing canine.The complainant said the dog cost her $1,378 and provided a receipt, police said.
Because the Wrights refused to have the dog scanned, Naugatuck police were forced to execute a search warrant, which was signed by a superior court judge. Once the search warrant was executed, the dog’s microchip was scanned and it revealed the pug was registered to the complainant, Harrison said.
Two people who answered the door at the Wrights' home Friday declined to comment. The Wrights were released on promises to appear at Waterbury Superior Court on Oct. 19.
Wright was one of the Cheshire police officers who testified in September during the Cheshire home invasion trial that ended this week when a jury found Komisarjevsky guilty of murdering Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her daugthers, Hayley, 17, and Michaela, 11, according to the Connecticut Post.
Jim
7:36 pm on Friday, October 14, 2011
Cheshire cop in the dog house! Congratulations to the Naugy Patch for being instrumental in the reuniting of this dog and it's rightful owner.
I doubt anyone could ever calculate the odds on this discovery being made since there were so many different millions to one chances that the chain of events that unfolded continued on to the point that not only was the dog's picture on "The Patch", but that the real owner read the article and saw it.
It sounds like these two were meant to be together!! Great story, unless you're the Cheshire cop!
barb
10:24 am on Saturday, October 15, 2011
im glad they caught those theifs
doris noel
3:04 pm on Saturday, October 15, 2011
Dog Gone.
Dona Lang
7:25 pm on Saturday, October 15, 2011
sounds like they gave the dog a good home. The owner dosent care about the dog if they let it roam. it could have been hit by a car!
Larry trip
1:06 pm on Monday, October 24, 2011
The dog was stolen and they refused animal control to scan it. Police officer?
Good home? He should have left the dog at it's REAL HOME. They loved it more.
Imagine a child taken under the same circumstances missing and wondering what happened to it every day you wake up?
J
7:50 pm on Sunday, October 16, 2011
I thought this was a terrific article.. Congrats Patch! I thought the above comment was unnecessary. Unfortunately dogs do get loose at times from the homes of responsible dog owners. The real owner of the dog did invest in an ID chip. I think that alone calls her responsible.
linda hanley
10:42 pm on Wednesday, October 19, 2011
RESPONSIBLE-after 2 years missing! the police officer and his family took great care of the dog-took it for his shots -put flyers out all over when they found the dog.Why didn't the "owner" of the dog put out flyers looking for the dog? She didn't. So whos the wrong one? The one caring for the dog and putting out flyers to see if anyone lost a dog o rthe one that never went looking?
Tina woodfield
8:22 pm on Sunday, October 16, 2011
I agree that dogs on occasion get loose....you have kids at times opening the doors, and other factors. For you, Dona to make that assumption, you must not have, or never had dogs. If you did, or do have dogs, and you never had them get loose....you are probably the first ! Bravo for The Patch being instrumental in this dog being reunited with it's owner......I guess it's a good idea to have a microchip implanted in your ' fur babies.'
Voice Of Reason
11:14 am on Monday, October 17, 2011
I wonder if Komisarjevsky lawyers will use this in their appeal process of the credibility of the police officers testimony?
Glad to see that the owners were reunited with their pet. Nothing, well somethings can be worse,then the loss of a pet. As in my household pets are a big part of the family and it's near like the lose of a child,almost I should say. We have taken in strays ourselves we have possession of a cat now for over two years that wondered up to our back door. We did everything possible to find the rightful owner before attachment set in. We checked the newspaper daily along with putting a notice in the paper. We put out fliers at local establishments along with checking local vet offices and also took the cat to the vets to check for a chip, nothing.
At that point 3 weeks later we took the cat to our vet and had its health checked out had all its shots up to date that was necessary and then paid over $200 dollars in dental work. At this point I told my wife if someone steps forward they need to cme with a check or cash to make me whole! LOL
Probably getting better care than it has at it's previous home!
Also very unappealing when police try and be above the law ,glad to see they were caught!
Rob
8:34 pm on Tuesday, October 18, 2011
I think its funny that people can even begin to blame the REAL OWNERS of the pug. DOGS GET OUT!!! I know the family and I'm extremely close to them aswell. I will say that the family did have the dog chipped,there were lost dog flyers! The only reason the dog is not back in the loving arms of his original family is because a police officer should be trusted,no not this one. Insted of being respectfull and realizing that the pet was chipped and was NOT his, he called the dog his own. Funny, no photos on Facebook or news of the pets arrival into the family. Oh wait. Those came up when they were arrested for this crime. I remember the exact day the dog was chipped. To say this dog was the police officers from the beginning is pathetic and a clear lie. I hope there embarrassed and I hope they realize they have brought shame and discrace to there family for this. What a cop. See you soon pup.
J
9:53 am on Thursday, October 20, 2011
To Linda Hanley who replied to my comment above:
I'm sure the accused, a police officer, did take great care of the dog..they wanted him, thats why they "took" him. If they were concerned to find his rightful owner, they would of had the vet scan for a chip. As a police officer he should know to have a lost dog scanned for a chip.
The true owner DID search for him in the appropriate ways.
Robs comment above is true "no photos on Facebook or news of the pets arrival into the family"....lots of other photos there....and now there is one AFTER the fact.
The dog belongs with the family who first gave him a home, loved him enough to chip him, search for him and now with thanks to The Patch found him.
The police officer and his wife know the truth. Whats right is right, whats wrong is wrong... Simple. What don't you understand?