Thread: Sandy Hook ‘truther’ caught in Virginia with signs stolen from playgrounds

Sandy Hook ‘truther’ caught in Virginia with signs stolen from playgrounds built for Newtown victims: police

Andrew David Truelove, 28, allegedly took signs earlier this month from Connecticut and New Jersey that memorialized Newtown victims Grace McDonnell and Chase Kowalski, both 7. He also called the parents of both victims and said the shooting was a hoax and the kids never existed. The stolen signs were recovered at Truelove's Herndon, Va., home, police said.

BY SASHA GOLDSTEIN
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Friday, May 30, 2014, 7:01 PM

FAIRFAX COUNTY VIRGINIA SHERIFF

Andrew David Truelove, 28, allegedly stole the playground signs and taunted the victims' parents after the crime, police say.

A demented Sandy Hook “truther” was arrested Friday in Virginia after he stole signs from playgrounds in New Jersey and Connecticut that were dedicated to tiny victims of the Newtown school massacre, police say.

Andrew David Truelove, 28, lifted a sign May 6 from a Mystic, Conn., playplace dedicated to 7-year-old Grace McDonnell and also took a sign from the playground made for Chase Kowalski, also 7, in Mantoloking, N.J.

He called the parents of both children after the thefts and told them the shooting was a hoax and that their children never existed.

Cops in Stonington, Conn., got a lead on the suspect after he bragged about the theft and sent images of himself pointing the middle finger at the stolen signs to The Daily Banter, a news and opinion website.

Police tracked the image data to Herndon, Va., where cops surveilled Truelove’s home and then searched it Friday.

HERNDON POLICE DEPARTMENT

Police pose with the signs after they were recovered from a home Friday in Herndon, Va.

The stolen signs were sitting in Truelove’s living room, Lt. Jim Moore, the Herndon police spokesman, told the Daily News.

The alleged thief has been sitting in jail since May 26 for a probation violation. His checkered background includes a conviction for abducting an 8-year-old girl from a schoolyard in 2007, cops said.

“We’re going to drive the signs to Connecticut and to New Jersey and deliver them to the families,” Moore said. “This was a very moving and very touching story. It’s nice to see the signs were not damaged too much while sitting in the house.”

Truelove took pictures of himself pointing the middle finger at the stolen signs inside his Herndon, Va., then sending them and bragging about the thefts to website The Daily Banter. The email helped cops crack the case.

The playgrounds are two of 26 to be built by the “Where Angels Play” foundation in Hurricane Sandy-ravaged areas of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut in memory of the children and educators gunned down during the Newtown murders.

The stolen signs have since been replaced.

So-called Sandy Hook “truthers” are conspiracy theorists who believe the horrific massacre was staged by the government to help aid its cause to impose strict gun control laws. In their eyes, Grace and Chase never existed and their parents are actors.

YOUTUBE/YOUTUBE

Grace McDonnell Playground ribbon cutting ceremony, in Stonington, Conn., behind the Mystic YMCA on April 24.

“I spoke with the families and they are very happy to hear that hopefully justice will be done, and more importantly, he’s off the street,” the foundation’s founder, Bill Lavin, said of the suspect, who has documented mental health issues. “He’s ignorant of the tragedy and it’s scary to imagine that there are people out there that don’t understand the gravity of this tragedy. Not only the horrific pain of the experience, but to be tormented by these characters, is unsettling.”

Both children were among the 20 gunned down inside Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012.

Truelove has been charged with possession of stolen property, and will likely face charges in both Connecticut and New Jersey related to thefts, Moore, the Herndon police spokesman, told the News.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crim...#ixzz33JNIACC9

Posted in: Crime Posted: May 31, 2014

Sandy Hook Conspiracy Theory Believer Claimed False Flag Hoax, Truther Gets Arrested For Harassing Parents And Destroying Memorial



A Sandy Hook truther, who believes the conspiracy theory that the Newtown shooting was just a false flag operation by the US government, was arrested recently after being caught with evidence indicating that he had destroyed and stolen from a Sandy Hook memorial honoring the memory of those who were killed by Adam Lanza.

In a related report by The Inquisitr, the Sandy Hook truther stole a sign dedicated to a young girl killed in the Newtown massacre and even called the mother, Lynn McDonnell, to say the massacre was all a hoax and that the 7-year-old had never existed in the first place.

One of the items stolen was a sign that had the peace sign and the words “love” and “grace” upon it. But the suspect made the mistake of taking pictures of these two signs and emailing a website called The Daily Banter with these photos.

Using these photos, police detectives were able to to use the meta data, which includes a geolocation tag, to determine the house from which the pictures were taken. This led them to the doorstep of 28-year-old Andrew David Truelove, and with warrant in hand the cops were able to search the house and find the two signs propped up right where they had been photographed.

As it turns out, Andrew was already in jail at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center because he had turned himself in for violating probation on an unrelated incident.

Truelove has a criminal history involving trespassing and attempted abduction of a minor (he claims he was trying to frighten off bullies but the girl was left traumatized). But he also has a history of suffering mental illness and was under psychiatric care for two years. His psychiatrist once testified that “Truelove exhibited symptoms of bipolar disorder, including depression and occasional hallucinations.”

Police also arrested Alan J. Truelove, the main suspect’s father, although Alan has not been charged with anything yet and the father denies knowing that the signs had been stolen by Andrew. But, like his son, Alan is apparently also a Sandy Hook truther since he “asked the police how they could be sure the Sandy Hook shooting had really happened.” Andrew has already been charged with receiving stolen property and may receive additional heavier charges.

Considering the circumstances, what do you think should be the punishment for a mentally ill person who harassed grieving parents due to his belief in Sandy Hook conspiracy theories?

http://www.inquisitr.com/1276169/san...ying-memorial/

Realtime Coverage

Virginia man with stolen Sandy Hook memorial signs is arrested Chicago Tribune - ‎4 hours ago‎ By Alex Dobuzinskis (Reuters) - A Virginia man who claims the massacre of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook School in Connecticut never took place has been arrested after stolen memorial signs for two 7-year-old victims were found in his home, ... Welland Tribune CBS News NBC New York Sandy Hook Conspiracy Theory Believer Claimed False Flag Hoax, Truther Gets ... The Inquisitr - ‎1 hour ago‎ Man Accused of Stealing Sandy Hook Signs Says Massacre Was Fake NBCNews.com - ‎1 hour ago‎ Sandy Hook 'truther' caught in Virginia with signs stolen from playgrounds built ... New York Daily News - ‎6 hours ago‎ In Depth Man Accused of Stealing Sandy Hook Signs Says Massacre Was Fake NBCNews.com - ‎1 hour ago‎ Two missing Sandy Hook memorial signs have been recovered in Herndon, Virginia -- far from the states from which they were stolen -- and a Virginia man has been charged in the case. Andrew David Truelove, 28, is being held at the Fairfax County Adult ... Opinion Police: Man stole Sandy Hook memorial signs Boston Herald - ‎22 hours ago‎ HERNDON, Va. — Police in northern Virginia have arrested a man accused of stealing memorial signs for victims of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. Authorities say 28-year-old Andrew Truelove was motivated by a belief that the ... See all 142 articles »

Andrew David Truelove Charged With Trespassing At Fairfax High School

11:07 AM, Mar 28, 2012




FAIRFAX, Va. (WUSA) -- Police say a Fairfax man has been charged with trespassing on school property after an incident at Fairfax High School on Monday.

According to City of Fairfax Police, a school employee saw a man in the school around 12:15 p.m. The employee confronted the man and the man left the building.

Police identified the man as Andrew David Truelove during their investigation, and arrested the 26-year-old man at his home on Tuesday with the help of Fairfax County Police.

He was transported to the Adult Detention Center and charged with trespassing on school property.

http://archive.wusa9.com/news/articl...ax-High-School