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Three arrested after string of West End break-ins

Posted November 19, 2007 10:00 pm

Jillian Fennimore

Watertown Police arrested three suspects allegedly involved in a string of motor vehicle break-ins and larcenies in the West End.

On Nov. 17, Robinson Pena, 21, of 29 Prior Drive in Framingham, Tony Ramirez, 23, and Claudia Pena, 19, both of 3103 Washington St in Boston, were each charged with breaking and entering a motor vehicle, receiving stolen property over $250 and possession of burglarious instruments after reportedly being involved in 11 break-in incidents last week.

A fourth suspect, 20-year-old Linda Ruiz of Framingham, was summonsed to court and not arrested at the time because she had her 5-month-old baby with her.

Police Chief Edward Deveau said they are investigating any ties to surrounding communities where car break-ins have also been popping up. Watertown Police performed undercover work during their investigation, and obtained surveillance footage from the 7-Eleven on Main Street, which helped them make a positive suspect match.

"Our officers took this personally," he said. "It worked out great."

According to police reports, the majority of break-ins occurred on Nov. 15 on Duff Street and some on Palfrey Street, Pierce, Lexington and Bailey roads.

The one report that helped police narrow down their leads occurred on Nov. 15 at 10:12 a.m. when the owner of a 1998 Honda Civic reported that her car was ransacked and a canvas bag and date book containing a credit card were taken. Police discovered that numerous charges were later made on the card - Shell Service gas station on Bemis Street in Waltham, two Tedeschi's in Brighton, and $49.99 worth of items from 7-Eleven on Mount Auburn Street in Watertown.

On Nov. 16, police were dispatched to the 7-Eleven and obtained video of three

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<td>11 break-ins in 24 hours

· Nov. 15 at 4 a.m. - a victim told police that after checking his Honda Civic parked on Evans Street, the passenger side door was wide open and a $250 dashboard radio was stolen.

· Nov. 15 at 6:43 a.m. - police were dispatched to Pierce Road where a 1999 Honda was found in a residential driveway with a gym bag missing and the contents of a glove compartment scattered around.

· Nov. 15 at 6:44 a.m. - a resident on Pierce Road reported that sometime overnight her 1998 Honda Civic was entered and suspects stole the keys to her other car - a 2003 Audi Convertible.

· Nov. 15 at 7:24 a.m. - that same Pierce Road resident reported that her Audi was stolen from her property. Later that afternoon, police were patrolling Heather Road by Grandview Avenue when they saw the Audi sitting in the rain with its top down. Nothing was reported as missing.

· Nov. 15 at 7:36 a.m. - police were dispatched to Duff Street to find a 1999 Honda Civic with its front passenger side window smashed, the insides ransacked and a small stuffed animal stolen.

· Nov. 15 at 7:45 a.m. - police said that a black Honda Del Sol was discovered with the contents of the glove compartment scattered on Mount Auburn Street, but nothing was reported missing.

· Nov. 15 at 7:28 a.m. - on Lexington Street the front passenger side window of a Honda Civic was reportedly smashed. Nothing was reported as stolen.

· Nov. 15 at 8:39 a.m. - A victim parked a 2000 Toyota Rav 4 on Bailey Road since Nov. 8 and came back to find that the right rear passenger side window was broken, but nothing was missing.

· Nov. 15 at 10:12 a.m. - a Duff Street resident reported to police that a 1998 Honda Civic was ransacked and inside, a green canvas bag was stolen along with a date book containing a credit card that belonged to the victim's father.

· Nov. 15 at 11:44 a.m. - a victim came into the station to report that sometime overnight on Palfrey Street, $7 in change, window shades and two phone chargers were taken from her Honda.

· Nov. 15 at 2:39 p.m. - a victim who parked on Phillip Darch Road reported to police that sometime overnight someone stole a JVC car radio from the dashboard and two money orders. There were no signs of forced entry.

Source: Watertown Police

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suspects - two men and a woman - who were allegedly using the stolen credit card inside the store. A flier was put together by police with the suspects' images and sent to police officers in Watertown and surrounding communities.

During his midnight shift on Nov. 16, Officer Thomas Dicker patrolled the town in an unmarked car in order to pay particular attention to the areas where the break-ins were occurring, according to Lt. Detective Michael Lawn.

At around 2:28 a.m., Dicker was near Palfrey and Spring streets when he saw a Honda sedan parked on the wrong side of the road. The car was running with the headlights off and with the trunk open. He reportedly observed a suspect that he recognized from the flier and three other people inside the car.

The car sped off on Palfrey Street with its headlights off, police said, and Dicker was able to pull them over on Marshall Street.

Dicker identified the three suspects from the flier, and after a search of the car, found items in the trunk, such as car radios and GPS units, that reportedly matched what was missing from targeted motor vehicles last week.

While he spoke with the suspects, other officers searched the area for suspicious activity and found an unoccupied car on Spring Street with "obvious signs of a breaking and entering," according to Lawn. Its glove compartment contents were scattered on the floor, and the radio was reportedly removed. The owner later told police that her wallet and purse were also missing.

The three suspects - Ramirez, Robinson Pena and Claudia Pena - were arrested by Dicker at the scene. Ruiz, the driver of the car, was given a summons to court because her 5-month-old baby was in the backseat. The Department of Social Services was called to address the situation.

According to Deveau, investigations are still being done on this case, and more arrests are pending.

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