VERGENNES — Vergennes police cited a 21-year-old Vergennes man for grand larceny on Nov. 16 after he allegedly stole a zero-radius riding lawn mower valued at $1,800 from a Green Street home.
Police said they were alerted by a property manager that the lawn mower was sitting behind a rental property. When police arrived, they learned that Jason “Todd” Shaffer, 21, had tried to sell the mower to another resident.
Police said another neighborhood resident told them he recognized the mower as belonging to the owner of the Green Street home. Police said when Shaffer could not explain how he had come to own the mower they cited him for the theft.
Later on the 16th police also searched Shaffer’s apartment for a guitar another resident insisted Shaffer had stolen, but found nothing.
In other incidents between Nov. 14 and 20, Vergennes police:
•  On Nov. 14 were called to the John Graham Shelter to investigate a complaint of lewd and lascivious behavior filed by a female resident against her husband. Three days later, shelter officials called for assistance in removing the female resident for being disorderly, but ultimately decided the woman could stay.
•  On Nov. 14 spent extra time at the state’s attorney’s office in Middlebury because of a tip that a man had made a threat against personnel there.
•  On Nov. 14 responded to a two-car accident on Main Street in which the vehicles sustained moderate damage.
•  On Nov. 14 checked the welfare of a child at a First Street home.
•  On Nov. 15 cited Dominic Fourtin, 21, of Derby, Conn., for a felony count of unlawful mischief after he and possibly another Northlands Job Corps student allegedly did $2,000 of damage to five couches and a chair with a knife. Police said charges are possible for a second student.
•  On Nov. 15 backed up Vermont State Police on Town Line Road in Addison, where two men had been reported fighting.
•  On Nov. 16 and 17 helped Vergennes Area Rescue Squad personnel deal with a Walker Avenue resident experiencing mental problems; on Nov. 17 VARS took her to Porter Hospital for consultation.
•  On Nov. 16 returned a truant male student to Vergennes Union High School.
•  On Nov. 16 joined VSP in helping a game warden work a Ferrisburgh deer-jacking case.
•  On Nov. 17 went to VUHS to help calm the scene after an altercation involving middle school students.
•  On Nov. 17 stopped a car reported to have passed another car illegally on Main Street and issued a warning.
•  On Nov. 17 warned a man to stop calling a Vergennes woman at her Middlebury workplace.
•  On Nov. 19 cited Matt Redmond, 23, of Ferrisburgh for a criminal offense of driving without a license.
•  On Nov. 19 issued three tickets for underage drinking to Northlands students.
•  On Nov. 19 handled a minor two-car accident on Main Street.
•  On Nov. 19 helped VARS by picking up car keys left in a vehicle at Kinney Drugs by a patient VARS took to Porter Hospital.