Purse Thief Caught Red HandedAround 10:35PM last night, officers from District D-4 (South End) responded to 439 Tremont Street for a purse-snatcher. En route, officers were advised that the suspect was being detained by restaurant employees.
On arrival, officers were met by independent witnesses and the store employees at the restaurant where the theft occurred. Those individuals had the suspect detained, and informed officers that they observed the suspect remove the victim’s purse from the chair that she was sitting in, place the purse under his jacket and attempt to exit the restaurant.
The witnesses then followed the suspect and detained him until the officers’ arrival.
The suspect, Thomas Duchaney, 43, of Boston was arrested and charged with Larceny from a Person.
A Hard Lesson Learned by Northeastern Students
This morning at approximately 1:00AM, officers from District D-4 arrested five Northeastern University students and charged them with the following offenses. Suspects, Benjamin D. Baker, 20, Jacob P. Makler, 20, and Aaron J. Berkenwald, 19, all of Boston were arrested and charged with Possession of Alcoholic Beverage by Persons Under 21, and Disturbing the Peace. Suspects, John M. Manuele, 21 of Boston were arrested and charged with Disturbing the Peace and Trespassing. In addition, suspect Manuele was charged with Resisting Arrest.
Officers were on patrol in the area of Columbus due to an increase in complaints from community members about loud parties and gatherings by college students when they heard loud music, screaming and laughing coming from the upper floors of 610 Columbus Avenue. Officers responded to the lobby of the building, and there observed a large group of people in the lobby, including suspect Berkenwald. Officers told all the individuals there to leave unless they lived in the building. Suspect Berkenwald told officers that he needed to go get his coat, and officers followed him up the stairs to the apartment with the party. At the door, the suspect Berkenwald fled into the apartment and slammed the door on the officers almost closing the door on an officer’s hand.
Officers then went around the back door and observed a large crowd exiting the apartment including suspect Berkenwald who was escorted back to the apartment with the party. In the apartment, officers observed several beer balls and a keg. Officers were able to find the tenants of record of the apartment and determined that they were all under 21 years of age despite the fact that they had alcohol in their apartment.
Officers arrested the tenants, Berkenwald, Makler, and Baker and charged them accordingly. While speaking to the tenants of the apartment, other officers were trying to clear the hallways of the building. Suspect, Manuele was asked to clear the hallways but refused to obey officers and suspect Manuele became belligerent with officers and resisted being placed under arrest.
The suspects will be arraigned at Roxbury District Court on Monday, November 3, 2008 on the above charges.
Shooting Incident at Walnut Ave. and King Blvd.
At approximately 1:20AM this morning, officers from District B-2 (Roxbury) observed a motor vehicle at the intersection of Harrison Ave. and Warren Street. The car was stopped and officers discovered that the front passenger was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Health and Hospitals, Boston EMS responded the scene, and transported the victim to Boston Medical Center with life threatening injuries. The victim remains at the Boston Medical Center with life threatening injuries.
Boston Police detectives from District B-2 are currently investigating this incident and ask anyone with information to call (617) 343-4275. Community member wishing to provide information anonymously may do so by calling the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1-800-494-TIPS or texting ‘TIP’ to CRIME (27463). The identity of those wishing to remain will be stringently protected.
Vigilant Officers Prevent a Potential Disaster
This morning around 2:41AM, officers from District B-2 (Roxbury) were on random patrol when they observed a car turn a side street onto Warren St. while being operated a high rate of speed.
Officers followed from a distance and at the intersection of Warren St. and Elm Hill Ave. observed the speeding car cross the double yellow lines and pull up to a car stopped at the red light. There, the rear passenger opened the door as if to approach the other car stopped at the light. At that point, the rear passenger noticed officers and quickly re-entered the car and the car sped off.
Officers, fearing that they may have just averted something from happening and due to the motor vehicle violations observed, conducted a traffic stop short distance later. Due to the behavior exhibited by the rear passenger at the traffic light, officers had him exit the car and pat frisked the rear passenger area that he had been sitting in along with his person. During the pat frisk of the rear seat that the passenger had been sitting in, officers located a loaded semi-automatic handgun.
The rear passenger, Rashad Lewis, 22, of Jamaica Plain was arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Possession of Ammunition, and Carrying a Loaded Firearm. The driver was of the motor vehicle was cited for failure to stay within marked lanes, speeding, and negligent operation.
