Behind the Lines Sturbridge

By Jonathan Cook
Turley Publications Reporter

Friday, Jan. 8

Three nabbed for swiping high-def cable

At 3:40 p.m., Officers Larry Bateman and Hillary Dadalt responded to a telephone report of shoplifting at Wal-Mart.
According to the report, store employees observed one person remove a high-definition television cable from its package and stuff it into a personal bag while two other individuals served as lookouts.
The three then went into the lawn and garden section of the store where they were approached by loss prevention. Police arrived and arrested 20-year-old Jacob E. Peltier and 23-year-old Christina Marie Compton of 38 Northside Road, Charlton as well as 22-year-old Duane A. Williams of 235 Burlingame Road, also of Charlton. All three were charged with shoplifting by concealing merchandise. (669)

Copper thieves detected by alert neighbor

At 10:52 p.m., police received a report of a suspicious loud noise coming from an unoccupied house on Cedar Street.
According to the report, a resident heard a loud bang coming from the supposedly empty house.
The resident also reported seeing a vehicle in the driveway.
Upon arrival police saw two sets of footprints going into the house and only one going out. The state police K9 Unit was called to help search for suspects.
After a brief search 20-year-old Cameron Nicholas Bennett of 115 Dana Road Oxford was discovered inside the house and 21-year-old Cameron Ryan Lobo of 47 Old South Sturbridge Road, Charlton was discovered skulking behind a nearby tree.
After a short investigation police learned that the two men had been dropped off by 20-year-old Robert A. Capone of 350 Main St., Barre.
The conspiracy allegedly intended to strip the house of copper pipes. After that work was done, the driver would return to collect accomplices and stolen copper.
Bennett and Lobo were both arrested at the scene. Capone was arrested by Barre Police at 7:31 a.m. the next day and collected by Officer Joseph Lombardi.
All three were charged with breaking and entering during the nighttime for felony, injury of real property, possession of burglarious instrument and conspiracy. (692, 707)

Saturday, Jan. 9

Man uninjured after rollover

At 3:15 p.m., 48-year-old Kevin Smith of 54 Monson Road, Wales rolled over in his car after falling asleep at the wheel, according to police.
Police were notified by a phone call from a witness.
According to the report, Smith was driving on Route 49 when he fell asleep, drove across the road and rolled his Honda sedan, settling onto the roof. That was how Officer David Fortier found it upon arrival. According to the report, Smith said he’d been tired all day after working a long shift.
Lack of skid marks on the pavement also indicated the driver may have been asleep.
Smith was charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle and marked lane violation. (744)

Wednesday Jan. 13

Crash leads to OUI charge

At 4:31 a.m., police received a 911 report of an accident on Cedar Street near the Brookfield line.
Officer Ronald Obuchowski responded to find tire tracks leading into an embankment where a male partly was leaning against a vehicle and a female party was on the phone.
The officer detected a strong odor of alcohol on the man who was identified as 39-year-old Paul Buckley of 124 Main St. 1, Spencer.
According to the report Buckley stated that he’d had three or four beers during the night and he was on his way home from a friend’s house.
He scored a .16 blood alcohol content on a portable breath test and was transported to UMass Hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Buckley was summoned to face charges of operating under the influence of liquor, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, negligent operation, and marked lanes violation. (1076)