Threat from Concord Man Puts Mass. Schools in Lockdown: Cops

MERRIMAC, MA – Police Chief Eric M. Shears reports that the Merrimac Police Department, after a foot pursuit and K9 track, arrested a man on Dec. 8, 2015, in connection with a breaking and entering in town.

Jason Morgan, 43, of Concord, was charged with breaking and entering during the daytime, a felony, larceny over $250, malicious destruction of property over $250, wanton destruction of property under $250, and fugitive from justice.

Editor’s note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Merrimac MA Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. Click this link to find out how to get a name removed from a New Hampshire Patch police report.

According to a press statement, police received a report of suspicious activity on River Road at 11 a.m., after a resident called to say that a man, who claimed to be from Woburn, MA, approached his back door and stated he was looking to give directions to a friend on how to get to town.

The resident was worried that the man, who also did not have a vehicle, might have been casing the neighborhood. Police began searching the area and located the man nearby. He took off running behind the house toward South Pleasant Street before he disappeared into the woods.

Merrimac Police called in assistance from the Amesbury MA Police Department and its K-9 unit to help track the suspect. West Newbury Police and the Mass. State Police also assisted in the operation. Out of an abundance of caution the Helen R. Donaghue and the Dr. Frederick N. Sweetsir schools were briefly placed on a lockdown secure and hold as the suspect had crossed I-495 and was a block away from the Donaghue School, according to the statement.

Police located Morgan at around noontime on School Street near Locust Grove Avenue. During the investigation, police determined that a home on River Road had been burglarized earlier in the day, and the investigation quickly pointed to Morgan. Police also recovered a small amount of jewelry on his person. He was placed under arrest and will be held pending his arraignment at Newburyport District Court.

“The resident did the right thing and deserves credit for immediately contacting police when he noticed suspicious activity” Chief Shears said. “Thank you to our police counterparts who aided Merrimac officers in the operation. “Great job by all responders, especially K9 Achilles who tracked the suspect from the house to the area of his arrest and recovered evidence discarded by the suspect.”