MARBLEHEAD — Marblehead police are investigating 17 motor vehicle break-ins reported in the Naugus Head neighborhood, the latest in a series of recent incidents that have drawn increased attention from residents and law enforcement.
The break-ins come days after police responded to separate acts of vandalism involving vehicles that drove onto Piper Field at Marblehead High School, damaging the turf and access gate. One of the vehicles believed to be involved — a stolen Kia Sorento — was later recovered submerged in Dolliber Cove near Grace Oliver’s Beach.
Police have confirmed that the Piper Field vandalism and the submerged vehicle are connected. However, authorities have not indicated whether the recent break-ins are related to those incidents.
Police Chief Dennis King said between evening hours on June 12 and the early morning hours of June 13, “There were 17 reported motor vehicle break-ins overnight.”
He added that there was no damage to the vehicles, because they were all unlocked.
“This is an active investigation, and we are working with other local agencies that are suspected to have been victimized by the same group of individuals,” King said.
One Naugus Avenue resident said his locked vehicle and garage were entered sometime on Friday night. He believes the suspects first attempted to access the vehicle around 2 a.m., according to home security footage, before searching the garage for keys.
The resident said he has been working with Marblehead police as the investigation continues.
The June 13 police log paints a picture of a concentrated series of vehicle break-ins stretching between Naugus Head and Waterside Cemetery. As people began to wake up and start their day, the calls flooded in.
The first report came from Hibbard Road at 6:37 a.m., followed by calls from Kenneth Road at 7:12 a.m. and 7:50 a.m. Over the next hour, officers were dispatched to Mound Road at 8:03 a.m. and 8:35 a.m., Naugus Avenue at 8:12 a.m., 8:19 a.m., and 8:32 a.m., Johns Road at 8:43 a.m., Batchelder Road at 8:53 a.m., and Sparhawk Terrace at 9:07 a.m.
Additional reports followed, including calls on Hibbard Road at 9:17 a.m., 9:32 a.m., and 3:26 p.m.; Sparhawk Terrace at 9:40 a.m.; Kenneth Road at 11:29 a.m.; Johns Road at 1:21 p.m.; Harbor Spray Lane at 1:40 p.m.; and Naugus Avenue at 1:49 p.m. and again at 9:54 p.m.
In all, the log reflects 20 calls for service classified as “Burglary/B&E Motor Vehicle” within a single neighborhood over roughly 15 hours. The log also shows a suspicious activity report on Johns Road at 5:19 a.m., more than an hour before the first break-in call was received.
In response to the recent incidents, the department issued a public safety alert and encouraged neighbors to report suspicious activity.
Detective Sgt. Sean Brady said residents should take precautions to reduce the risk of becoming victims of vehicle-related crimes.
“Residents should be locking their vehicles, even if there is nothing of value inside,” Brady said. “They should also never leave keys inside the vehicle.”
Police advised residents to park in well-lit areas whenever possible, remove valuables and bags from plain view, avoid leaving wallets, phones, keys, or electronics inside vehicles, close all windows and doors, and report suspicious activity immediately.
While police have not disclosed the exact number of reported break-ins, the department said “several” incidents have occurred in the Naugus Head area.
This investigation comes as police continue to investigate last week’s Piper Field vandalism.
On Wednesday, officers were called to the high school’s athletic complex around 5:40 a.m. They found that vehicles drove through a locked access gate and onto the football field, leaving tire marks and damaging the turf.
Later that morning, at approximately 11:10 a.m., police received reports of a vehicle submerged in Dolliber Cove near Grace Oliver’s Beach. With assistance from the Marblehead Harbormaster and the Salem Police Dive Team, authorities recovered an older-model Kia Sorento bearing New York registration plates.
Investigators determined the SUV matched the description of one of the vehicles involved in the Piper Field incident. Police later confirmed the vehicle had been reported stolen.
Superintendent John Robidoux condemned the vandalism and said the school district would work with its turf supplier to assess the damage.
“I just think it’s unnecessary, egregious vandalism, and we’re going to find out who it was,” Robidoux said. “They crashed through the gate, which was ruined, and there are marks on the field.”
Police Chief Dennis King said those responsible would face criminal charges.
“Marblehead Police is conducting an investigation to determine the operator(s) identity and consider this a criminal matter,” King said.
According to a report by WCVB, the recovered Kia Sorento had been stolen from a father and son from upstate New York while they were attending a hockey tournament in Raynham.
Fourteen-year-old Sam Auletta told the station he and his father discovered the vehicle missing from their hotel parking lot and that all of his hockey equipment had been inside.
“It was crazy because, you know, I feel like this stuff only happens in movies,” Auletta told WCVB. “I still can’t process it.”
Marblehead police ask anyone with information regarding either the vehicle break-ins or the Piper Field incident to contact the department at 781-631-1212, Detective Sgt. Sean Brady at [email protected], or School Resource Officer Sean Sweeney Jr. at [email protected].
