A suspect is in custody after allegedly stealing a sander in Newton, Massachusetts.
Michael Carter, 30, of Boston's Dorchester neighborhood, is facing larceny of a motor vehicle and other charges after police say he stole a city pick-up truck sander from the Knotty Pine restaurant parking lot Friday morning.
Police say the Department of Public Works employee, who was inside the Auburn Street restaurant at the time of the theft, reported the truck stolen around 6:15 a.m. Friday. According to the police report, the keys to the truck were left in the ignition.
"He was here for like 15 minutes," said Billy Kourtis, one of the owners of the Knotty Pinesaid. "He ate and we talked about the game on Sunday. All of the sudden, he went outside to leave, came back and said, 'My truck is missing.'"
A short time after the truck was stolen, another DPW worker saw it crashed into a utility pole near 1970 Beacon Street.
The suspect allegedly got out after crashing and approached someone asking where the MBTA is. The suspect was bloody and disheveled, and the person he approached called police, who then arrested Carter.
Inside the stolen truck, police found a credit card from someone who had their car broken into near where they live on Woodbine Terrace. Carter will be charged with that, as well.
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There were other cars in that area that were also broken into and police believe Carter is responsible. He is facing several counts of breaking and entering in addition to larceny.
"All of the change was gone and a little bit of my cash was gone," said Shannon Reilly, whose car was broken into on Woodbine Terrace. "I was just a little discombobulated that someone would walk near our house and into our driveway and into our car and sit in my seat."
Police said Carter had several outstanding warrants for his arrest and was also charged with his second offence of operating under the influence.
According to investigators, all of the cars hit were unlocked and police hope it serves as a lesson.
"We always tell people to lock your doors and remove your valuables," Newton Police Lt. Bruce Apotheker said. "Because if somebody's walking by and they want to break into your car, if they see something, they'll use any means they can to get in."
