WEST WINDSOR – Police charged a Connecticut man with vandalizing the town’s 9/11 memorial Nov. 2.
After an investigation, officers from the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia arrested Daniil Strukov, 27, of Putnam, Connecticut, charging him with criminal mischief and desecration of a venerated object, police said in a press release on Dec. 22.
According to police, Mr. Strukov went to the Ronald A. Rogers Arboretum sometime between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Nov. 2 and spray painted a piece of metal recovered from the World Trade Center following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C.
Police said that Mr. Strukov also allegedly spray painted the walkway, gazebo and ornamental stones that were all part of the township’s memorial to the lives that were lost on that day.
Damage to the memorial was estimated to be $2,500, police said.
A subsequent investigation by the West Windsor Township Detective Bureau and lead investigator Detective Kevin Loretucci led to the Mr. Strukov being charged, according to the release.
Georgia officers took Mr. Strukov into custody after he was entered into the National Crime Information Center as a wanted person, according to the release.
Police said Mr. Strukov is currently going through the extradition process in order to be transported back to New Jersey for processing.
Police said this investigation was strongly helped by the press coverage and agency’s use of social media
The West Windsor Township Police Department said it would like to thank the press for its coverage and interest, the Putnam, Connecticut Police Department and the Rockdale County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office for their cooperation and to the people and fraternal organizations that offered monetary rewards for the successful capture and prosecution of the alleged perpetrator.
Several unidentified residents added to the West Windsor Professional Firefighters Association’s $500 reward for a lead to an arrest, bringing it to a total of $1,800, according to Councilman George Borek.
Councilman Borek made the announcement during the Nov. 10 meeting, during which Council President Bryan Maher said he was appalled by the vandalism and that the township has to catch the culprit(s).
In the release, police did not say if the reward would be paid out for Mr. Strukov’s capture.
