Ridgefield Police: $291,000 House Theft By Daughter's Friends

Ridgefield Police investigating the theft of nearly $291,500 worth of jewelry from a Ridgefield home over the last year focused on three of the homeowner's daughter's friends.

In the case of one suspect, police used a Facebook account, pawn shop records, and multiple interviews to help nail down the date of one of the thefts, July 26, 2012. Based on information from that incident, Police charged Steven Montanari, 21, of Maple Shade Road, Ridgefield, with third-degree larceny and with conspiracy to commit third-degree larceny. Of the total $291,500 stolen, police said in the arraignment report, they estimated Montanari took about $3,200.

Police said Montanari's co-conspirator in the case was Mitchell Carroll, 21, who turned himself in to Ridgefield Police on Sept. 5 facing charges of first-degree larceny and conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny. Police said the pair and a third person stole from a Barrack Hill Road home where they had been invited in as friends many times by the family's daughter.

In their arrest warrant application, Ridgefield Police said the earrings, cufflinks, watches, necklaces and other items stolen from the home were sold to Danbury pawn shops, jewelry stores or on EBay.

Montanari was released on a $25,000 bond and was due in Danbury Superior Court Oct. 8 on that charge.

Montanari has a second case also in Danbury Superior Court involving a theft of jewelry from his parents' home. Police said in their arraignment report Montanari's parents called them on Sept. 22 to report a theft and gave police some background. The family thought their son Steve Montanari took something from the house to buy heroin one last time before starting rehabilitation. Montanari's family had been trying to get him into rehab for four days after he nearly died from a drug overdose. Steve Montanari left home on foot on Sept. 22, and walked to Mitchell Carroll's house (the main co-defendent in the Barrack Hill Road burglary case.) His parents suspected he had taken something from them to pawn in Danbury with Carroll's help. Ridgefield called Danbury Police for help.

Danbury Police in the Special Investigations Division caught up to Carroll and Montanari at Yankee Peddler and Pawn on Main Street, where they saw Montanari enter and leave the pawn shop. Police heard and saw Montanari then try to sell jewelry to people on Main Street. Montanari and Carroll then drove away. Danbury Police pulled them over.

Police said Montanari was holding the jewelry in his hand when they pulled him over. He told police it was his. His parents identified the items as theirs, and pressed charges. The pearl and diamond earrings, titanium wedding band, an Indian head and wheat penny, a silver dollar and owl and white stone necklace and a random silver earring were valued at $800. Steven Montanari was charged in this case with fifth-degree larceny.