Jul 22, 2008 6:28 pm US/Eastern
Aspiring EMT Accused Of Stealing $30K In Fire Gear
NORTH ATTLEBORO (WBZ) ―
A young man who is studying to become an Emergency Medical Technician is now charged with breaking into fire trucks and stealing $30,000 worth of firefighting equipment.
Jacob LaPointe, 20, of North Attleboro, was released on $2,500 bail Monday after pleading not guilty in Attleboro District Court to 10 counts of breaking and entering into motor vehicles and larceny.
Investigators believe LaPointe stole portable radios, fire suits and air packs from fire trucks and ambulances at Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, Inc. in North Attleboro during the last month. At least ten fire departments that had vehicles serviced there were affected.
The break in the case came last Thursday when police noticed that a driver pulled over in a traffic stop had a handheld radio from the Wrentham Fire Department.
That driver, Derek A. Hindle, 18, of North Attleboro, led them to LaPointe, who allegedly had a van full of stolen items.
"It was filled from top to bottom with helmets, boots, protective gear, axes, bolt cutters, dozens of portable radios," North Attleboro Detective Lt. David Dawes told the Lowell Sun.
"Evidently, the suspect was interested in the firefighting field. But I don't think he even knew what he was going to do with all of it."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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