Theft Crimes

Boston Police Make Dozens of Arrests in Bogus Pawn Shop Sting Operation

Published on: December 26, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

The Boston Police Department announced that, last month, they had opened up a fake pawn shop booth in Boston’s Downtown Crossing in an effort to catch persons trying to unload stolen merchandise.

They called it “M.I.B.”, or Men in Blue, and they were looking to catch people selling stolen goods. The ‘operation’, according to the Boston Police Department, netted 24 arrests and resulted in several Theft Crimes Charges being issued, particularly for Receiving Stolen Property. Not all of the items pawned were stolen, but they do expect to issue an additional 40 warrants for Theft Crimes Charges.

According to the Boston Police Department, the sting operation was set up in response to an increase in home and cellphone robberies, for which numbers for those crimes are up this year. Within the pawnshop, the undercover Boston Police Officers used hidden cameras to identify those persons who pawned items and who did not have identification.

Two Boston Men Charged with Saks Fifth Avenue Robbery of $20,000 Worth of Bags

Published on: December 25, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Robert Davidson, 46, and Kenneth James, 43, were arraigned yesterday morning in the Boston Municipal Court for allegedly trying to steal and run out of Saks Fifth Avenue with $20,000 worth of designer handbags.

According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Davidson and James took 13 Luis Vuitton bags, along with two others, and ran out of the store. A store security guard, however, was able to catch one of the men, while the second man was apprehended in the area shortly thereafter.

Following the pair’s arraignment on Theft Crimes Charges including Larceny Over $250, the two men were both held without bail as a result of outstanding warrants in other courts.

Two Dorchester Girls Charged in Framingham Robbery

Published on: December 7, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Two teenage girls, both from Dorchester, were arrested after breaking into a Framingham apartment this past Sunday. Luz Zapata, 18, along with a 14 year old juvenile girl, both allegedly admitted breaking into the Framingham apartment.

Both girls were discovered to have broken into the apartment when one of the residents arrived. Zapata was allegedly found to be in the apartment, while the other girl was apparently acting as a lookout. When confronted, the two girls got into a taxi and left.

The resident then then followed the taxi while calling the Framingham Police Department, and the police arrested the girls as they were found sitting in the taxi at a train station. Both girl initially denied stealing anything, but a later search revealed an iPod and charger that was reported missing from the apartment.

Natick’s Louis Vuitton Store Robbed of $30,000 of Merchandise

Published on: November 25, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

This past Tuesday, three men were caught trying to remove $30,000 worth of merchandise from Natick’s Louis Vuitton collection while one of the men ordered an employee to remove the cash from the register.

Natick Police repsonded and arrested Duane White, 44, of Boston. The other two men, however, were able to get away and remain at large to date. According to Natick Police, most of the stolen merchandise, which consisted mostly of purses, were left by the three suspects once officers responded. The cash taken, however, was not recovered.

Duane White is to be charged with Unarmed Robbery.

Boston Man Arrested in Quincy Home Invasion

Published on: November 22, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Jose Lorenzo, 22, of Boston, Massachusetts, was arrested in connection with a shooting and Home Invasion that occurred at a Quincy last month. The incident resulted in one man being admitted to the hospital with critical injuries.

Lorenzo is charged with Armed Assault with Intent to Murder, Assault with Intent to Rob, Home Invasion, Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, and Larceny of a Motor Vehicle.

According to the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office, Lorenzo’s DNA was allegedly found at the scene of the crime. A warrant for his arrest was issued shortly thereafter police discovered his DNA, and Lorenzo was arrested when you appeared to check in with his Probation Officer.

Boston Bank Robber Arrested

Published on: November 4, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Christopher A. Higgins was arrested shortly after allegedly robbing Hyde Park Savings Bank in West Roxbury Wednesday morning with the ‘getaway driver’ being a friend who had no idea he had just robbed the bank.

The Boston Police Department reports that Higgins asked his friend to drive him to Hyde Park Saving Bank so he could cash a check. Once at the West Roxbury Branch on Centre Street, Higgins exited the bank in a rush and told the friend to quickly drive away because he had just been involved in a fight inside the bank.

Boston Police report that Higgins was driven to Shaw’s in Dorchester, and after being dropped off, the unwitting friend was stopped by police. After being questioned by police, the friend provided a Dorchester address for Higgins.

Quincy Woman Who Starred in “Gone Baby Gone” Arrested for Breaking & Entering

Published on: October 19, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Jill Quigg, who got a role in the film “Gone Baby Gone” was arrested and charged in Quincy District Court with Breaking & Entering in the Daytime, Larceny Over $250, and Malicious Destruction of Property.

According to the Quincy Police Department, witnesses reported seeing Quigg and Georgios Keskinidis, 28 of Lynn, near the apartment building, and carrying a flat-screen TV and a computer printer. When Quincy Police Officers approached the pair, Quigg allegedly told them she saw a black male breaking into the apartment, and that she and Keskinidis chased the man, who then dropped the stolen items. Quigg said she took the items only for safekeeping.

In Massachusetts, the crime of Breaking & Entering in the Daytime is a felony that is punishable by up to 2 years in the House of Corrections of up to 10 years in state prison. In order to be convicted of this crime, the prosecutor would have to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that:

The defendant broke into a building belonging to another person;

Two Dorchester Teens Arrested in Armed Robbery of iPhone

Published on: October 18, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Lamont Sands and Arthur Willis, both 19 and from Dorchester, Massachusetts, were both charged in the Boston Municipal Court last week in connection with robbing a man of his iPhone on Boylston Street. Both teens were charged with Armed Robbery and Receiving Stolen Property and held on $10,000 bail.

The Boston Police Department alleges that Sands and Willis approached a man on Boylston street, and one of them stuck his hands in his pocket as if he had a gun. The two teens threatened to shoot the man if he didn’t give up his cell phone. After the man gave Boston Police Officers a description of the teens, Sands and Willis were stopped in an alley near Westland Avenue.

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office reports that Sands and Willis are believed to have been involved in selling stolen iPhones. They are believed to be responsible for at least 13 robberies since this past July.

Wilmington Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Millions from Comedian Half-Brother Dane Cook

Published on: October 13, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Darryl McCauley, of Wilmington, pled Guilty to stealing millions of dollars from his celebrity comedian half-brother, Dane Cook.

McCauley had been indicted in Middlesex Superior Court on 27 counts of Larceny Over $250, three counts of Forgery, Embezzlement, Uttering, and Conspiracy. McCauley allegedly stole millions from Dane Cook when he worked as his business manager from the early 1990’s to December of 2008. The indictment alleged that he wrote company checks to himself and transferred funds to his personal bank account.

As a result of his plea deal, McCauley was sentenced to five to six years in state prison.

Boston College Student Charged with Armed Robbery of Brighton Convenience Store

Published on: September 15, 2010 | by Lefteris K. Travayiakis, Esq.

Michael Kevin McCarthy, 22, of Roslindale and a part-time student at Boston College, was recently arraigned on several felony Violent Crimes Charges for robbing Tedeschi’s Convenience Store in Brighton on August 13, 2010. He has formally been charged with Armed Robbery, Assault & Battery with a Dangerous Weapon, and Using a Disguise to Obstruct Justice.

Boston Police Officers and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office allege that, on August 13, 2010, McCarthy entered the Tedeschi’s in Brighton’s Cleveland Circle at 1:00 a.m. and asked if the coffee was fresh. He left the store and then returned later that morning, around 5:00 a.m., and allegedly pistol-whipped the clerk. The clerk then turned over the cash to him from both cash registers.

During its investigation, the Boston Police Department obtained still photos of the incident from the video surveillance system and posted them on Massachusetts’ Most Wanted. A few days later, they reportedly received a tip that the person involved was McCarthy and that he was a student at Boston College. Working alongside Boston College Police, Boston Police Officers were then able to match the man portrayed in the video to the student records on file. A photo array was then taken to the victimized store clerk, who positively identified McCarthy as the alleged robber.