Boston Police report an early rising homeless man with a penchant for print got a different kind of ink on his hands last week: The kind they use down at D-4 for fingerprints.
Police say Back Bay residents who still get their news served up on paper had been bedeviled in recent months by somebody going around early in the morning stealing their broadsheets and tabloids.
Two residents provided police with video of the paper burglar lifting their news of the world and riding off on a bicycle, and Officer Richard Litto of D-4 began his hunt - literally, using "a trail-cam, commonly used by hunters, in an effort to capture additional footage of this annoying thief," police say:
Finally, at about 6:00 AM on Thursday, May 14, 2015, Officer Litto got a tip that his target was peddling through the Back Bay and up to no good. A short time later Officer Litto was face-to-face with [the thief] and his bag, full of newspapers affixed with address labels in the Back Bay.
William Joseph Marion, 53, who listed the Pine Street Inn as his address, was booked on larceny charges, police say.
Police add:
To many people, the theft of a newspaper seems like a small loss. But to an elderly resident who depends on getting their news by reading their daily paper, it’s a very big deal, especially when it’s been going on for so long with no relief in sight.
Innocent, etc.
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Comments
They should give him a paper
By Jay Fallon
Tue, 05/19/2015 - 1:22pm
They should give him a paper route.
The REAL question is...
By Gary C
Tue, 05/19/2015 - 1:30pm
What was he DOING with all those papers? Reselling them on the corner?
He's got a lot of puppies and
By Dot net
Tue, 05/19/2015 - 1:32pm
He's got a lot of puppies and birds.
Seriously though, I love that BPD and D-4 care enough about this quality of life issue to do something.
Well, according to police
By aldos
Tue, 05/19/2015 - 1:51pm
He was "peddling through the Back Bay," although they don't say what he was peddling. Of course, maybe they meant he was pedaling.
Maybe he was trying to get
By blues_lead
Tue, 05/19/2015 - 3:09pm
Maybe he was trying to get arrested. Roof, three squares, structure. Access to healthcare. When you're destitute that can sound pretty good. (Which to me says we need a better safety net)
I don't think so. He could
By Dot net
Tue, 05/19/2015 - 9:13pm
I don't think so. He could have tried a myriad of more easily apprehendable crimes to commit.
The chances of being picked up for this are slim, and who would guess he would piss someone off enough for them to start filming the newspaper delivery and theft?
He could have performed a valuable public service ...
By adamg
Tue, 05/19/2015 - 1:51pm
Lies
By Kaz
Tue, 05/19/2015 - 2:03pm
Lies. They get their news from Fox News.
Half Lies
By Stevil
Tue, 05/19/2015 - 2:11pm
Half of old people get it from MSNBC half from Fox. Each tell half the truth. You have to watch both channels simultaneously to get the whole truth.
My mom watches NECN and MSNBC
By Markk02474
Tue, 05/19/2015 - 2:56pm
Besides her Globe subscription. She likes that Rachael Maddow, has a house in North Hampton, you know. Watches book talk etc. on C-SPAN, sometimes CNN, never Faux News.
Does she know...
By Scratchie
Tue, 05/19/2015 - 4:59pm
... how to spell 'Northampton'?
Yes, I am feeling particularly juvenile today.
Maybe Rachel has a house
By jmeltzer
Wed, 05/20/2015 - 10:45am
on the New Hampshire seacoast.
I too am a Globe subscriber
By Patricia
Tue, 05/19/2015 - 2:37pm
I too am a Globe subscriber and don't forget, this is costing close to $60 a month for a subscription, plus the tip for the delivery person.
I'd be pretty pissed if someone was stealing my paper.
Sixty Bucks a month???
By Pinch
Tue, 05/19/2015 - 4:36pm
I think we know who the REAL thief is em ah write?
Stealing Newspapers?
By Scratchie
Tue, 05/19/2015 - 3:02pm
His scheme to get rich by stealing and re-selling 8-track tapes must have failed.
SMH
By Steeve
Tue, 05/19/2015 - 3:05pm
Just another case of Obama's police force stifling another honest small business owner.
and I thought we were the only ones
By fanonscudder
Tue, 05/19/2015 - 3:55pm
and I thought we were the only ones - recently moved into a mid-size condo building (not too far from the Pine St. Inn) and have been befuddled by:
a. we are the only tenants to have the Globe delivered (there is one WSJ)
b. our paper is routinely stolen before 7 a.m. several times a week (but not the WSJ)
c. what on earth does the thief do with our stolen paper?
Officer Litto
By Neighbor2
Tue, 05/19/2015 - 9:17pm
The arresting officer, Rich Litto, is a Community Service officer and one of the warmest, friendliest guys around. I bet he's even polite to the crooks he arrests. Good job.
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