SPD Alert: About 20 cars broken into last night, five taken with one still missing

Southborough Police Chief Kenneth Paulhus asked me to share an important alert and reminder with readers.

He is asking car owners in town to lock their vehicles and homes. And don’t leave keys or valuable inside your car.

There were a slew of car break ins across a large section of town last night. Five vehicles were driven off, four of them abandoned elsewhere and one is still missing as of this afternoon. Neighborhoods impacted stretched from Ledge Hill Road to Southville Road.

On Facebook, the alert includes a warning that criminals involved may be armed and dangerouls. “DO NOT APPROACH if you see someone breaking into your vehicle. . . Contact the Southborough Police immediately, if you see any unusual behavior.”

Chief Paulhus believes that criminals involved are likely linked to a series of crimes in the wider region. He said that cars are currently being processed for evidence. 

Below  is the message the SPD posted to Facebook this afternoon with more details:

ATTENTION:
Multiple vehicles were broken into during the early morning hours today. We are currently investigating approximately twenty (20) motor vehicle break-ins; four (4) vehicles taken from residences (and left at various locations around town); and one (1) vehicle that was stolen and still missing. Various items were taken from these motor vehicles, as well.
Numerous MetroWest area departments have been experiencing similar auto thefts, break-ins, and larcenies from vehicles. Southborough Police will join the task force that has been put together to investigate and apprehend members of this group. DO NOT APPROACH if you see someone breaking into your vehicle. Law Enforcement agencies consider this group armed and dangerous. Contact the Southborough Police immediately, if you see any unusual behavior.

Victims of last night’s thefts & break-ins include Strawberry Hill Road, Red Gate Lane, Parkerville Road (south), Skylar Drive, Ledge Hill Road, Gilmore Road, Highland Road, Banfill Lane, and Southville Road.

*If anyone has any home security videos or information that would assist us with this investigation, that would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Det. Keith Nichols at knichols@southboroughma.com or Lt. Ryan Newell at rnewell@southboroughma.com; or by calling (508) 485-2121.

** PLEASE ** Lock your vehicles, homes, and secure your garage door openers. Motion lights, security cameras, and any other means to protect your property, will keep you from becoming a victim.
Thank you.

The SPD also linked a story by the Milford Daily News on a task force formed in August to deal with car thefts in several communities including Hopkinton. 

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Frank Crowell
3 years ago

When is the last time 20 cars in Southborough were broken into in one night?

That is most certainly more than one person and it had to be coordinated.

I’ll leave it there for now.

southsider
3 years ago
Reply to  Frank Crowell

“i’ll leave it there for now”… what’s that mean, Frank? Do you suspect the radical left? anarchists? maybe the school committee? Thought i was hearing a dog whistle… please tell me I’m wrong.

Frank Crowell
3 years ago
Reply to  southsider

Glad we didn’t defund our police department.

Is that enough of a dog whistle for you?

Petunia
3 years ago
Reply to  Frank Crowell

Frank thankfully the Southborough Police Department is more forward thinking than you are. They have already invested in alternate resources to have at their disposal in helping to keep the community safe and protect at risk individuals. The Jail Diversion Program (SJD) has been in place for well over a year here in Southborough, and uses MSW’s and other clinicians to assist the SPD in their responding to individuals in crisis. It had been adopted by many surrounding communities many years before this.
Here you can read up on the program.
https://www.advocates.org/services/jail-diversion

Frank Crowell
3 years ago
Reply to  Petunia

Thank you for your post Petunia. Do you know if “MSW’s and other clinicians” from our area will be sent to Connecticut in order to prevent another night of marauding? That would be the forward thinking thing to do…………right?



My forward thinking is along the lines of self/family protection. I am sure I am not alone.

Matthew Brownell
3 years ago
Reply to  Petunia

Great post , Frank –

I’ll let “Petunia”, and “Southsider” embrace their [forward thinking 🤦‍♂️ ??] “Jail Diversion Program” [😲😳] , and pin their agenda on career social workers “clinicians” – while transient , coordinated , out-of-state roving gangs of lawless perform a stop-by plundering of Southborough.

Seriously?

Southborough should probably let the adults step-in on this one, and support the police detectives leading the investigation.

Experience shows these gangs will inevitably return to communities they consider as soft targets. For my tax dollar, I don’t want to establish a sensitivity collaborative or Progressive Welcome Wagon to encourage them-

Deerfoot Road (North)
3 years ago

There was at least one additional automobile break-in which occurred on Deerfoot Road (North) during the same period.

Be sure to remove your: laptop, mobile phone, keys, etc. from your automobile! Leaving those items in a parked vehicle is an invitation to thieves!

Frank Crowell
3 years ago

Milford Daily News followup:

Police Chief Kenneth Paulhus said the gang appeared to break into 25 cars overnight Wednesday and stole four others.

“This is pretty wide-spread all over Connecticut and Rhode Island, and now here in MetroWest,” the Chief said. “This is an organized gang we believe is from Connecticut.”

A task force that is made up of several area police departments, including Hopkinton, Holliston, Franklin and Medway, had already been set up. Last week, Southborough Police attended a task force meeting and discovered this group will often hit the same community a second time.

“They call it ‘Towning,’” said Paulhus. “They pick a town and they sweep through the town like locusts.”

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