Woman Charged With Stealing Electricity
(Bridgeport, CT – March 14, 2014) – A city woman faces felony charges for fraudulently receiving free electricity for the last seven years by claiming a medical condition.
Lori Rodriguez, 49, of Bridgeport, defrauded United Illuminating Co. of $27,218.76 by forging her doctor’s signature on documents that protect customers from utility shut off if they suffer from a medical condition and could suffer harm if their utilities are shut off.
The protection is not permanent but can be renewed by the doctor. Customers seeking the waiver are required to provide the doctor’s name and contact information.
Detective Robert Martin began investigating the case after being contacted by an investigator from UI in January.
He learned that Rodriguez first applied for medical protection in 2007. UI received the signed form from the fax number provided by Rodriguez for her doctor. The doctor described her medical condition as life threatening, earning her year-round protection.
What Martin also learned was that the fax number provided by Rodriguez was actually for a Staples store and that Rodriguez received the incoming faxes, forged her doctor’s signature and sent them back.
She repeated the process every time it was time for renewal. UI detected the fraud when she apparently inadvertently attached a Staples fax coversheet to the documents. The doctor later confirmed that the signatures were forgeries.
“The members of The United Illuminating Company’s Revenue Protection and Security department take their work very seriously,” said Dave Whidden, the supervisor of UI’s Revenue Protection and Security.
“These are tough economic times, and many people are struggling to pay their bills — but that doesn’t excuse breaking the law. If you commit fraud in order to avoid paying for your electric service, we will have you prosecuted. We owe that much to our honest hardworking rate payers and to the people of the state of Connecticut.”
Rodriguez was charged with second-degree larceny, four counts of second-degree forgery, four counts of criminal impersonation and four counts of identity theft.
Subway Restaurant Held Up
(Bridgeport, CT – March 14, 2014) – A gunman held up a Subway restaurant Thursday night on East Main Street.
Officer Albert Palatiello responded to the restaurant at 926 E. Main St. at 8 p.m.
Employees stated that a masked man entered the business with a handgun and demanded money from the register. When the employees opened the cash drawer, the suspect grabbed the money and then fled.
The suspect was last seen wearing a hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans and black sneakers.
Shooting Victim Identified
(Bridgeport, CT – March 14, 2014) – Police are identifying a man who was shot Thursday night on Hamilton Street.
Police located the victim, Raheem Dicks, 22, at a nearby has station with a gunshot wound to the arm. Authorities were called at 7:41 p.m.
Dicks provided an account of what happened but evidence at the scene appeared to contradict his account. The incident remains under investigation.
Meat Stolen, Thrown by Shoplifter
(Bridgeport, CT – March 14, 2014) – A shoplifter threw stolen meat at grocery store employees before being arrested by city police.
Officer Wilfred Torres was dispatched to Compare Foods at 1050 E. Main St. Thursday afternoon on a shoplifting complaint. He also was told the employees confronted the woman and she threatened them with a knife.
Officers Adrian Elem and Pamela Stewart took the suspect, Audriana Williams, 33, of Bridgeport, into custody.
An employee told police that he observed Williams putting a package of meat under her coat and he followed her outside. She pulled a knife on him and then on the owner. She fled across the street and the employees followed at a distance. She threw packages of meat at them before fleeing and being arrested by police. Williams was charged with criminal attempt at second-degree assault, threatening and sixth-degree larceny. Her bond was set at $15,000.
Police Identify Motorist Involved in Eight Car Crash
(Bridgeport, CT – March 14, 2014) – Police are identifying the motorist involved in a crash that damaged eight cars, including her own.
Karen Otero, 75, of Bridgeport, told police that she was pulling out of a parking space when her car suddenly accelerated. She stated she was hitting the brakes but they did not slow the car.
Otero’s car struck five vehicles in the parking lot of the Auto Zone, 300 North Ave. The impact pushed two of those vehicles into two other parked cars.