Trespassing and Vandalism Investigated at Ridgewood in Middlebury

Early this morning around 6:33 a.m., a resident of Ridgewood Estates located off Southford Road in Middlebury, alerted police that there had been damage done overnight at the Ridgewood Estate Club House, according to Middlebury Police Department Lt. Richard Wildman.

Police responded and found three broken windows, several rocks thrown into the pool, a broken hand rail and several rocks thrown on the patio. Police also discovered that four mature trees were damaged, which were all part of the landscaping. A stainless steel refrigerator was dented by a rock thrown through one of the windows.

Police processed the scene and looked for evidence and found fresh footprints in the mulch, showing an exit area by the perpetrators from the property.

JJ, the police department’s K-9, engaged in tracking and pointed police to a home on Long Meadow Road, approximately one half-mile from the club house.

Police continued investigating and five youths were charged with alleged simple trespassing. One youth was charged with alleged criminal mischief in the first degree. One of the youths owned up to doing the damage and did not want his friends to get in trouble for what he did, Lt. Wildman reported. None of the youths live in the Ridgewood Development, which resulted in the trespass charges.

The alleged criminal mischief in the first degree charge is due to damages totaling more than $1500. Police estimate the damage is well over that and figure the damage was done between midnight and 3 a.m. this morning.

Officer Edward Demers and JJ investigated.