Crime & Safety

Two Men Accused of Destroying Camera Systems in Public Housing

Port Chester police said the suspects were looking to mask criminal activity at the housing developments.

Detectives are looking at Port Chester's housing projects after two men stole a security camera monitoring system and poured gasoline on another.

The systems controlled and filmed footage from security cameras outside 70 Purdy Ave. and 45 Traverse Ave., two buildings owned by the Port Chester Housing Authority.

It's clear 28-year-old John Jones and 22-year-old Jeffrey Stamps destroyed the camera systems to blind Big Brother for illegal activities -- the monitoring systems at both buildings were destroyed on the same day, June 8. But police haven't said if Jones and Stamps were allegedly dealing drugs or running some other scheme in the public housing buildings.

Jones and Stamps were charged with third-degree burglary, a felony. Both live in the public housing buildings -- Jones on Purdy Avenue, and Stamps on Traverse Avenue.

Police were called to Purdy Avenue by housing authority employees on June 8. Missing from a storage room was a video monitor, a computer server and storage equipment. There weren't any signs of forced entry, and the lock on the door wasn't broken. An employee gave police a list of the missing equipment.

Later that day, detectives were called to Traverse Avenue after firefighters reported a strong gas smell from a utility room. Inside the unlocked room was a server soaked in gasoline, and a monitor and keyboard were missing.

On Monday, detectives Chris Krzeminski and Aaron Conetta arrested Jones and Stamps. Lt. James Ladeairous said the detectives pieced together the case and sealed the arrests after interviewing both suspects.

"It was good work on their part," Ladeairous said, adding that the detectives "got enough out of them" to make the arrests.

Police recovered one of the missing monitors and a keyboard, and their investigation continues as they look into illegal activity in both buildings.


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