LOST KAYAKER

On Feb. 25 at approximately 4:56 p.m., officers responded to Conimicut Point, where Kirsten Chant informed officers that her husband, 60-year-old Timothy Chant, left at noon to go kayaking. She had not heard back from him in the five hours since and her son, Drew Chant had called the U.S. Coast Guard.

“Kirsten stated that her husband had parked their car in the beach parking lot, and she had not heard from him in around 5 hours,” Warwick Police Officer Yadira Allen wrote in her report. “Kirsten informed officers Timothy had not been answering her phone.”

Allen confirmed that Chant, of 37 Dahlia St., had no known medical issues, and that he would not have gone anywhere outside of Warwick.

The officers were able to pinpoint Chant’s location after pinging his cell phone, which showed it as being a mile off of the Barrington coastline. From there, a search ensued, with the Warwick Fire and Police Marine Units, the Barrington Fire and Police Departments, the Warren Fire Department and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management taking part.

At 6:33 p.m., the Barrington Police and Fire Departments found a kayak near Barrington Town Beach matching the description of Chant’s kayak. The Barrington Police and Fire Departments found Chant’s body later that evening, at 9:45 p.m., washed up near Barrington Beach.

—       Adam Zangari, Beacon Staff Writer

VANDALISM

On March 2, Warwick Police announced an arrest in City Park vandalism case.

Around 3 a.m., Feb. 21, in the morning, an officer conducting a check of Warwick City Park noticed “12 wooden fences surrounding the baseball and soccer fields to be freshly damaged,” according to a WPD press release. “Damage was also done to one of the soccer nets on the soccer field. It was believed a vehicle drove through the fences before driving on the snow covered fields, causing unknown amounts of damage to the fields due to the snow covering the fields.”

Warwick Police posted photos of the damage on their social media accounts and asked for help from the public to identify a suspect.

“A subsequent investigation by (Warwick Police) Detectives led to possible suspects being identified,” according to police. “As a result of the investigation, Cody O’Brien was identified as the main suspect and was arrested on Feb. 29 … for one count of Vandalism.”

Warwick Mayor Frank Picozzi shared the good news on his Facebook page.

“After an extensive investigation, the Warwick Police Department has arrested a suspect for causing this damage to City Park a little over a week ago,” Picozzi posted. “The man will be charged and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We are blessed in this city to have such an efficient and diligent police department. Strong work WPD!!!”

DUI

Around 7:29 p.m., Jan. 28, Warwick Police were dispatched to Kent Hospital at 455 Toll Gate Road for the report of a crash in the parking lot.

Prior to police arrival on the scene, Kent Hospital Security officers reported that an unoccupied vehicle was struck and that they believed the driver was possibly intoxicated.

Police identified the driver as Darrin R. Elston, 53, of 260 Summer St., Woonsocket.

He allegedly told police that he was trying to back his vehicle into a parking space when he struck the vehicle behind him.

“It should be noted, while speaking with Elston, I could detect a strong odor of alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath and I observed his eyes to be mildly bloodshot and watery. When I asked Elston if he had anything to drink he quickly stated no but then changed his response to having two beers.”

Police asked Elston to consent to a series of standardized field sobriety tests and he agreed. Following the tests, he was arrested and charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of Liquor (first offense). He was transported to Warwick Police Headquarters where he refused to take a chemical breath test, according to police. Elston was also cited for Refusal to Submit to a Chemical Test (second offense) and Driving After Demial/Revocation/Suspension Certain Violations (first offense).

Elston was held over for court the next morning.

SHOPLIFTING

Around 1:30 p.m., Jan. 8, Warwick Police were dispatched to Target at 400 Bald Hill Road to investigate a shoplifting report. The store’s loss prevention associates told police that a man who had been previously positively identified by Warwick Police on Dec. 29, had also shoplifted from the store on Nov. 30 and Dec. 23, 2023.

Police identified the suspect as Niles Persand, 43, of Providence.

“Persand was often seen wearing a black apron and a grey hooded sweatshirt,” according to the police report written by Warwick Police Officer Gian A. Micheletti. “It should be noted that Persand works at Nordstrom Rack and would shoplift while on his break.”

Police say that Persand has shoplifted “miscellaneous merchandise valued at $898.69” and included a variety of toys and collectibles. Police acknowledged a pending active arrest warrant for Persand charging him with one count of Shoplifting (first offense).

HABITUAL OFFENDER

Around 5 p.m. on Jan. 31, Warwick Police officers drove to the Johnston Police Department to take custody of a suspect who had been picked up by JPD on an open arrest warrant for Shoplifting (over $100, second offense) and Habitual Offender-Shoplifting.

Warwick Police took custody of the suspect, identified as David Allen Boulanger, 49, of 38 Ottawa St., Apt. 5, West Warwick.

The charges stemmed from an alleged shoplifting incident reported around 3:18 p.m., Dec. 14, 2023, at Lowes, 555 Grenwich Ave., Warwick.

The store’s loss prevention personnel told police that a “known subject” later identified as Boulanger had shoplifted from the store on Nov. 27, 2023. The store provided still images of the suspect from video surveillance.

Loss prevention associates told police that Boulanger pushed a cart to the tools department, where he allegedly took a pair of bolt cutters “and then walked out of camera view,” and cut the lock off a welder’s cage, selected a Lincoln electric welder valued at $649 and placed it in the cart.

Boulanger then allegedly pushed the cart to the outdoor power equipment department, where he selected an Ego 56V 670CFM blower (valued at $219) and placed it in the shopping cart. The total value of stolen merchandise was valued at $868, according to police.

Police drew up an arrest warrant requesting charging Boulanger with one count of Shoplifting (second offense) and one count of Habitual Offender.