Cops Nab Suspected Golf Club Thief

[Editor's note: Arrest information is supplied by the Fairfield Police Department. It does not indicate convictions.]

A Fairfield man faces charges after he allegedly stole golf clubs from golf courses in town.

Police believe Garrett Denniston, 35, of Jackman Avenue and a lawyer associated with the Milford firm Bishop, Jackson & Kelly LLC, broke into the pro shop at H. Smith Richardson Golf Course in late May and stole two staff golf bags with clubs. One bag was valued at $1,000; the other at $2,500. 

The bartender at Smith Richardson Clubhouse noticed a man running into the woods from the direction of the pro shop as she closed up May 29. She also noticed a car parked outside of course -- a 2006 Audi A4 -- as she left for the night, police said.

The woman gave police the information and they were able to pinpoint Denniston as a suspect -- especially after he was arrested in June for allegedly trying to steal $3,000 worth of golf clubs from the Patterson Club in Fairfield, police said.

At that time, Denniston was charged with fourth degree larceny and conspiracy to commit fourth-degree larceny. Upon his arrest, police found prescription pills and two pipes in his possession, and he was further charged with possession of a prescription narcotic not in its original container and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia.

After the June arrest, police executed search and seizure warrants for Denniston's home, where police found the bags and clubs from the H. Smith Richardson Golf Course, department spokesperson Sgt. Sue Lussier said.

Police also determined Denniston sold some clubs to a business in Portland, Conn. Receipts showed he was paid $1,000 for selling the stolen items, Lussier said.

Denniston was charged with third-degree larceny and third-degree burglary for the theft of clubs from H. Smith Richardson Golf Course, police said. He was arrested on a warrant, held on a $1,000 bond, and was scheduled to have appeared in court on Wednesday.

He is also suspected of a similar theft from Fairchild Wheeler Golf Course -- police are investigating.