Ansonia Public Works employee suspended on metal theft suspicions

By Phyllis Swebilius
Register Staff
ANSONIA — A Public Works Department employee was suspended Tuesday night for 30 days without pay amid allegations of a theft of metal from the DPW garage.
James Hooker is off the job starting today.
Under an agreement reached with the Board of Public Works more after more than an hour of talks, Hooker does not admit to the allegations.
While police detectives have said they suspect someone stole a snowplow from the Public Works Complex, no one has been arrested.
Ansonia is alleging that plows or parts were taken from one of several scrap piles at the complex, city Labor Counsel Fran Teodosio said after the meeting.
There is “some disagreement” about the details, he said. The metal was allegedly sold for scrap, he said.
A complaint was reported March 16.

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