In a brazen act of theft, Jonathan Cutler, aged 50, from Whitman, was arrested by Cohasset police detectives after breaking into a lumber yard and lifting $7,000 worth of composite decking material. The affidavit, laid out by Cohasset Police Detective Julie Hall and filed with the Quincy District Court, chronicles how Cutler allegedly maneuvered his Dodge Ram truck through the woods on October 25, 2024, and trespassed the Cohasset lumber yard perimeter to commit the felony, as detailed in a social media post by the Cohasset Police Department.
The stealth operation conducted by the detectives involved a Craigslist advertisement, believed to be posted by Cutler, for decking materials suspiciously similar to those reported stolen. The officers, under the guise of potential buyers, contacted the seller and negotiated a deal for the decking at a set price of $20 per twelve-foot plank. This meeting turned into Cutler's undoing when he, expecting customers, greeted Cohasset detectives at his home and fell into the snare of his own making by showing them the goods. Following this interaction, the detectives revealed their true identities and apprehended their unsuspecting host for the crimes he was alleged to have committed.
In a statement obtained by the Cohasset Police Department's social media post, Police Chief William Quigley lauded the detective unit's efforts, particularly highlighting Detective Hall and Detective Lieutenant Michael Lopes's investigative work that led to the resolution of the crime. Cutler, whose Dodge Ram and trailer were impounded during the sting operation, found himself booked at the Cohasset police headquarters. Recovered from Cutler's yard, some of the stolen decking material was found, further corroborating the charges against him. He is currently being held without bail and faced arraignment in Quincy District Court today, November 1, 2024. Lastly, in the same statement, Chief Quigley extended gratitude to the Whitman police department, who provided invaluable aid, according to Cohasset Police's narrative.
