New Bedford's streets have seen a recent flurry of car break-ins, but swift police action has put two prolific perpetrators behind bars. On two separate occasions within a week, local law enforcement apprehended men with a knack for nighttime vehicle intrusion, as they attempted to carry out their illicit acts.
The first collar occurred on January 26th, around 10 PM when Sgt. Andy Simmons of the narcotics unit was on surveillance duty. He spied a male trying his luck on car doors in the Sixth St. and School St. vicinity. Simmons saw the man, later identified as Mr. Javier Mendez-Colon, 32, gain entry into a car and emerge with purloined possessions. According to New Bedford Police's Facebook page, detectives approached Mendez-Colon, and upon discovery of the stolen goods, cuffed and booked him.
Mendez-Colon, with a rap sheet flaunting numerous convictions across a litany of offenses, including two stints for breaking and entering, is no stranger to the clink. Already on probation out of New Bedford District Court, he now faces charges of breaking into a motor vehicle at night with intent to commit a felony.
Just days later, in the wee hours at approximately 3:30 AM, another call buzzed through to the police concerning a vehicle break-in at Watson St./Duke St. intersection, where the owner witnessed the window shattered and his belongings taken by an intruder who dashed and vaulted over fences to flee. Officer Carlos Fernandes, on patrol come 6 AM, crossed paths with the fleeing suspect, known as Mr. Walter Brewster, 55, rifling through another parked car. Brewster led officers through a spirited chase, concluding with his apprehension after a brief scuffle. "Brewster was discovered to have numerous items believed to have been stolen from parked vehicles, including the one from Watson St. earlier in the morning," the department's Facebook announcement detailed.
Like Mendez-Colon, Brewster's past is littered with marks of indiscretion, tallying assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, larceny, and possession of burglarious tools, capped with four prior cases of breaking and entering. He now faces charges for two counts of breaking into a motor vehicle to commit a felony and resisting arrest. For those with tips that could assist the authorities, New Bedford Police encourage reaching out via their website or by dialing 508-99-CRIME, with the option to remain anonymous.
