On the night of October 3rd, 60 unlocked cars were entered, rummaged through, and some items were taken in Hingham, MA. The two thieves took a laptop, house and car keys, coins, cash, and an electric scooter from a driveway.
At around 12:48am, a resident on Pilgrim Road in Liberty Pole reported seeing two males breaking into a car in their driveway. The Hingham police, with the help of a K9 and assistance from the Norwell Police set up a perimeter. A drone operator launched a drone that tracked the suspects. When the officers approached the suspects, one of them got away. The other suspect, a Holbrook teen, was identified and arrested.
The 17 year old that Hingham Police apprehended has been charged with Breaking and Entering into a Motor Vehicle, Disturbing the Peace, and Conspiracy. The Holbrook teenager is also yet to be arraigned at Hingham Juvenile Court. The investigation into the break-ins remains ongoing.
The police organized an impressive response to an unprecedented incident in Hingham. One resident and victim, Mike McCarthy remarked, “It was surprising and shocking. I feel like we definitely have a false sense that nothing like this happens in Hingham, as if there’s no crime. It was definitely a wake up call.” About the police department’s response, Mike McCarthy shared, “I had no idea we had high tech resources.”
Officer Ford, when asked about the police department’s process detailed the protocol for crimes like this. He explained, “If we know where people are breaking in, we set up a perimeter and we also set up a patrol K9. We also have a drone and even in the dark it can see with infrared.”
He also explained the typical nature of these crimes, saying, “They will canvas neighborhoods, where doors are usually left unlocked.” Officer Ford shared that the best things to do to protect your own belongings are to “…not leave valuables in your car and always make sure your doors are locked.” He added, “If you are suspicious that a crime is happening, don’t be afraid to call the police.” The neighbors that spotted the crime and took the initiative to call were vital in the process of catching one of the thieves.
Maeve Maroney, a junior at Hingham High School whose car had also been entered explained, “The whole incident felt so random and shocking. I think it caught the whole neighborhood by surprise.”
Another Hingham High School student and victim, Dee Sweeney added, “No one expected anything like this to happen, but we were lucky that only a few items were taken.”
While the break-ins may have been shocking, they were a good wake up call that even though Hingham is typically a safe town, it is better to err on the side of caution. Fortunately, that wake up call resulted in minimal harm and proved the efficiency of the Hingham police force.
