Story Of How Stamford Cops Helped Autistic Man Will Go National On 'NBC'

STAMFORD, Conn. -- The story of an autistic Stamford man whose birthday money was stolen but who then received hundreds of dollars in donations from city police officers and others is about to make bigger headlines after catching the eye of "NBC Nightly News."

Patrick Kogut, 27, gives a thumbs up after police handed over hundreds of dollars in donations to the autistic man. He was the victim of a theft and 'NBC Nightly News' is going to do a story on it.
Photo Credit: *Frank MacEachern*

Frank MacEachern

09/18/2014 5:10 a.m.

Sgt. Kelly Connelly, public information officer with the Stamford Police Department, said a news crew is expected to be at the police station Thursday to conduct interviews as well as speak with the mugging victim, Patrick Kogut, 27, and his mother, Irena.

"NBC Nightly News" anchor Bran Williams, a New Canaan resident, noticed the story and was intrigued by it, Connelly said.

Kogut was walking to the Stamford Town Center on the afternoon of Sept. 9 when a man approached after noticing that Kogut was holding cash in his hand, police said.

Kogut told him he was going to buy video games with the money, police said. Kogut let the man hold the cash and the suspect pretended to put it back in a pocket of Kogut's shorts but actually kept it, police said.

Dismayed by the theft, Connelly sent an email to her fellow officers and started an in-house fundraising campaign that collected about $1,300 for Kogut. They presented it to him on Monday at the same time they announced they had arrested Steven St. Jacques, of 49 Durant St., on charges of first-degree larceny.

Read more about the police investigation and the arrest here on the Daily Voice.

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