Somerville Police Solve Case Of Missing Tools

SOMERVILLE, MA — A man was arrested after reportedly stealing a large quantity of tools worth more than $1,000 from a home under construction in a March incident recently revealed by the police department.

Michael Forster, 46, was charged with one count of a threat to commit a crime, one count of daytime felony breaking and entering, and one count of nighttime breaking and entering on Monday, March 16. Officer Priscilla Ribeiro and others traveled to the scene at 72 Jaques. St. at approximately 12:30 p.m. after receiving a report from a friend of the victim that his tools had been stolen. Upon arrival, a friend of the victim told police that the man was following the person who he believed to be the culprit. The pair was now heading westbound on Broadway. According to Riberio, she caught up with the man in pursuit outside of the Walgreens store on Broadway. The man then identified Forster as the culprit of the theft. He provided videos to Ribeiro that demonstrated someone he believed matched Forster’s description that went in and out of the home with a backpack on twice in a nearly three-hour span on the evening of Sunday, March 15.

“It should be noted that when stopped, Mr. Forster had the same sneakers and pants on as the man in the video,” Ribeiro said. “Mr. Forster was annoyed because we were ‘wasting his time’ and stated that he would tell us where the tools were. He stated that they were at the park where the homeless people live by School Street. Officer Taylor proceeded to Homans Park and retrieved the black trash bag of tools.”

According to Riberio, Forster refused to have his miranda rights read to him for an extended period of time, but eventually allowed her to finish.

The victim soon recovered all his lost belongings from the park, including a construction heater Forster had in his hands at the time of the incident and had left it near the Walgreens along with his bicycle.

"I'll be back to 72 Jaques St. don't you worry. It'll happen again,’ Forster reportedly yelled to the victim while awaiting transport to the police station. Ribeiro also claimed that Forster called both she and other officers on scene with a derogatory expletive. Forster expressed his belief to Ribeiro that his stepfather had a part in his apprehension, as he said to also be a resident of Jaques St.

See Also:

Residents Displaced After Somerville House Fire

Somerville Soliciting For Artist To Craft Large Outdoor Mural

Somerville Landlord-tenant Legal Battle Goes To Trial

Somerville Police Investigating Afternoon Convenience Store Robbery

Somerville Celebrating National Milestone With Patriotic Parade

Somerville Announces Plans To Fully Decarbonize Municipal Building

Significant Somerville Services Returning For Spring

Somerville Residents Refuse To Sell Property To YMCA

Somerville-based Cement Manufacturing Startup Issues Large-scale Layoffs

Somerville Teacher Building A Legacy Through Her Work

Somerville Gets Funding For Street Safety Project

European Bakehouse Begins In Somerville

Somerville City Councilor Launches Campaign For State Rep.