MASSACHUSETTS COMPUTER THEFT RING BROKENThe Taunton GazetteTAUNTON - Authorities have recovered nearly $80,000 worth of stolen tools and electronic equipment stashed in five city homes by a gang of drug addicts that has been swiping the merchandise for months to feed their habit, police said.
Police raided homes at 6 Dean Ave., 290 Whittenton St., and 288 Whittenton St. Saturday night after discovering large caches of stolen tools and electronic equipment hidden in homes on Winter Avenue and Pine Street Thursday and Friday nights.
So far, five men and women have been charged or cited in connection with the rash of break-ins throughout the city dating back to this summer.
Patrolman Eric Nichols, who is heading the investigation with Patrolman Peter Corr, alleges that Jason Correia, 20, and Arthur Meack IV, 24, were the main ringleaders of a crime wave that targeted city homes, local contractors, and motor vehicles for months.
"They were doing most of the break-ins," said Nichols. "They would sell the merchandise to other people for money or drugs. They had some help, but for the most part, they were the main players."
Correia and Meack led police on a wild foot-chase through downtown Thursday morning after Nichols and Corr tried to arrest the pair at a multi-family home on Summer Street.
Police eventually nabbed Correia and Meack, and later that night, acting on a tip by a confidential informant, raided Jacob Rickell's home at 46 Pine St. and discovered 69 tools, stereos and computers equipment stashed in his bedroom, basement, and shed, as well as a sawed-off shotgun and several hundred rounds of bullets hidden under his bed, police said.
On Friday night, following another tip, city police raided a multi-family home at 12 Winter Ave. and found 107 tools, stereos, computers, DVD players, and other equipment, including several swords. Police also seized cocaine and heroin, and arrested four people there on drug charges.
Two residents of 12 Winter Ave. who were not home when the building was raided, Laura Branco, 35, and Joseph Demers, 38, will be summonsed to court at a later date to answer to charges of possession of stolen property, police said.
Police recovered more tools and stereo equipment Saturday night after raiding three buildings Correia allegedly used to stash his loot. The homes included 6 Dean Ave., a building owned by Correia's landlord; 288 Whittenton St., where Correia's girlfriend lives; and 290 Whittenton St., where Correia lived with his mother, Nichols said.
The evidence room at Taunton police headquarters is overflowing with merchandise, which is slowly being claimed by victims of the ring, said Nichols.
"Many of the people who were robbed were independent contractors who need their tools to put food on the table," said Nichols. "They're so excited to get their stuff back."
Nichols said the arrests have been the result of a collaborative investigation between the detective and patrolmen divisions.
Correia is being held on $5,000 cash bail for resisting arrest and larceny charges for allegedly breaking into a car on Cedar Street in September. More larceny and possession of stolen goods charges will be filed against Correia in the coming days, Nichols said.
Meack was released Friday on $500 cash bail on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery on a police officer for allegedly attacking Nichols during his attempted escape Thursday. He has not yet been charged directly with the robberies.
Rickell, 19, was charged Friday with receiving stolen property and gun charges. Judge Kevan J. Cunningham ordered Rickell held without bail after ruling he violated the terms of his bail on charges he stabbed a city man outside the Portuguese American Civic Union in June.
Deborah Demers, 37, of 12 Winter Ave., Chaudrey Wheeler, 35, of 230 School St., Apt. 2, and Thomas Conway, 33, of 230 School St., were arraigned yesterday in Taunton District Court on charges of possession of hypodermic needle and being present where heroin is kept.
Demers was also charged with possession with the intent to distribute Class A and Class B substances after police allegedly found 6 grams of heroin and 12 grams of cocaine in the raid. Demers' bail was set at $5,000 cash on the new charges, but she was ordered held without bail for violating the conditions of her bail on cocaine possession charges in Raynham. Her next court date is Jan. 4.