In the early morning hours of Wednesday, May 20, 2026, officers assigned to District A-1 (Downtown) responded to a series of commercial break-ins along Charles Street in the Beacon Hill neighborhood. Four businesses were targeted within an 18-minute window, with incidents reported between Revere Street and Mt. Vernon Street.
Officers responding to commercial alarm activations identified forced entry at the following locations: 63 Charles Street, 75 Charles Street, 105 Charles Street, and 109 Charles Street. In each case, officers found broken window panes consistent with forced entry. At one location, officers discovered a brick inside the store. Officers cleared all accessible locations, confirmed no occupants were present, and a K-9 unit conducted sweeps with negative results.
Security camera footage obtained from one of the businesses showed the suspect using his hand to punch through a window pane, reach inside to manipulate the deadbolt, and open the door. The suspect then proceeded directly to the cash register and removed its contents. Investigators processed all four scenes, collecting evidence and photography, and disseminated images of the suspect to officers in the area.
Upon further investigation, detectives were able to identify the suspect and corroborate his presence in the area around the time of the incidents. Detectives also identified a prior pattern of similar commercial break-ins along the same stretch of Charles Street. Based on that information, a warrant was obtained for Schaff’s arrest.
On Saturday, May 23, 2026, at approximately 2:07 PM, officers located James Schaff, 59, in Dewey Square at the intersection of Summer Street and Atlantic Avenue. Officers placed Schaff under arrest without incident and transported him to Nashua Street Jail, where he was booked in the usual manner.
James Schaff, 59, was charged with the following:
- Breaking and entering a building in the nighttime for the purpose of committing a felony
- Larceny from a building
- Being a common and notorious thief
Schaff was arraigned at Boston Municipal Court.
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