Suspect Accused Of Cutting Off Tops Of Neighbor's Arborvitaes In Westport: Police

WESTPORT, CT — An 81-year-old Westport woman is facing criminal trespass and criminal mischief charges, after police said she is a suspect in an alleged vandalism case where the tops of her neighbor's arborvitaes were sheared off, according to authorities.

Katrin Laroche was arrested on a warrant Tuesday on charges of first-degree criminal mischief and third-degree criminal trespass.

The case began in mid-May, when Westport police were called to a home on a vandalism complaint.

"The complainant/victim reported that he suspected a neighbor, Katrin Laroche, had vandalized multiple trees on his property," Lt. Anthony Prezioso wrote in a statement. "He explained that approximately three to five feet had been cut from the tops of a total of nineteen trees, identified as Green Giant Arborvitaes. These trees were located within his yard and were several feet in from a fence marking the property line. The cutting of the trees in this manner would now prevent them from growing taller and he therefore estimated the loss due to damage to be approximately $20,000.00."

Westport police reviewed surveillance video and canvassed the neighborhood, which "suggested that Laroche was the suspect in [the] incident."

Laroche allegedly refused to speak with the officer investigating the incident, despite multiple attempts, which led to the department obtaining the warrant.

"Multiple additional attempts through various means were made to advise Laroche of the active warrant and to allow her to arrange to respond to police headquarters for processing," Prezioso said.

On Tuesday, detectives went to Laroche's home and took her into custody. After processing, she was held in lieu of bail of $20,000, but she was released after an order of the state bail commissioner’s office reduced bond to a promise to appear in Stamford Superior Court on June 23.