Man charged with damaging officer’s vehicle, taking items from cruiser

WOLFEBORO — In what the town’s police chief is calling a “brazen act”, a Middleton man has been arrested on felony charges after he allegedly vandalized a private vehicle and broke into a cruiser parked behind the police station.

According to Police Chief Dean Rondeau, a truck belonging to a Wolfeboro officer received more than $1,500 in exterior damage, apparently from being struck by a blunt object. The cruiser, which was not being used for patrols at the time, was broken into and a digital camera and 35-year-old radar unit were taken, the chief said.

On Saturday Paul Javaruski, 24, of Middleton, was arrested in connection with the Sept. 3 incident. He was charged with felony level criminal mischief, theft by unauthorized taking, also a felony, and misdemeanor charges of making a false report to law enforcement, false swearing, criminal trespass, and transporting alcoholic beverages.

Javaruski’s arrest followed an investigation conducted by Wolfeboro police Sgt. Guy Maloney and Detective Shane Emerson. After coordination with State Police and the Middleton Police Department, and additional evidence gathered during the investigation, a court authorized an arrest warrant. Javaruski was arrested Saturday at the Middleton Police Department. The outstanding arrest warrant for Javaruski, issued by the Wolfeboro Police Department, was also executed at that time.

Javaruski was released on personal recognizance bail pending his arraignment in Carroll County Superior Court scheduled for Oct. 18.

Rondeau said all the equipment stolen from the police cruiser was recovered by State Police.

“This is a sign of the times,” Rondeau said of the incident. “This was very clearly an aggressive and brazen act. The criminal element is becoming emboldened and so angry as to take their anger out on POVs (personally owned vehicles) in the police parking lot and breaking into police vehicles.”