The 41 is starting to get ripped apart for restoration by a dedicated crew of volunteers. Paddock Classic Car Restoration of New Britain and its owner Michael Donnelly are helping with this project. They are donating their expertise, time and storage to get this car ready.
1-19-20: In appreciation of museum exhibit on the slot machine token case and Jerry Longo’s introduction for “You Thought It Was More: Adventures of the World's Greatest Counterfeiter, Louis the Coin,” going forward all direct book sales including PayPal button [forthcoming @ https://louisthecoinbook.com/ ], will result in $1 donations to the Connecticut State Police Museum http://www.cspmuseum.org/. This pledge follows a modest donation from 2019 royalties and direct sales.
The newly renovated Connecticut State Police Museum and Educational Center is in Meriden Connecticut on what were the grounds of the Meriden School for Boys and what is now the State Police Mulcahy Complex at 294 Colony St., Building #7. The hours of operation are currently Fridays from 12:30 to 3:30 and Saturdays from Noon to 4:00 p.m.. Other appointment times during the week are available to groups on request. Admission is free, however we gratefully accept donations. This project was accomplished with donations from our members and friends and no tax dollars were spent in its creation. The tour guides and preservation staff are all volunteers.
This magazine cover shows the "Inspiration" 1945 painting by Stephen Dohanos of a trooper broken down. The original painting and the original license plates are at the museum.
Donations can be mailed to:
CSPAAAMEC P.O. Box 1945 Meriden, CT 06450-0899
Notation: Garage or 41 project.
Here is Jerry Longo’s introduction to
"You Thought It Was More: Adventures of the World's Greatest Counterfeiter, Louis the Coin.”
Introduction
By JERRY LONGO
A routine call from a colleague with the New Jersey State Police started me on a two-year-long case involving dozens of casinos, half a dozen states and a lot of overtime. He told me a story of counterfeit slot machine tokens, the suspect and a Connecticut connection. When the case was wrapped up by numerous jurisdictions, I saw a face I had seen many times before. This was a very unique crime involving an even more unique individual, Louis The Coin Colavecchio.
Louis great up Italian as I did. He loves to eat. So do I. at some point in our younger days, we both made choices about which road to take. Louis loved developing a scam described to me by a U.S. Secret Service agent as the largest counterfeiting case in their department’s history. I loved having a hand in solving it.
Louis came up with a brilliant plan. We The Cops did, too. I do not condone his criminal behavior, but I understand it; he was very creative, an artist. I assisted in some small way with him going to jail and he served his time ... After spending time together after the case closed, we have developed a friendship. That’s OK with me. I am no longer a trooper, having retired in 2003. He’s retired, too, right?
Connecticut State Police Detective Sergeant (Retired) Jerry Longo is now a senior investigator for a major casino. As a trooper, he was assigned to several barracks and the Bureau of Investigations. His commendations included one for arresting 105 drunk driving suspects in one year. Other commendations were for Meritorious Service and Outstanding Service -- two life saving and two unit citations.
