Police say man runs amok in Dorchester: Smashes 20 cars with metal hoses, tries to break into an apartment, punches a man, briefly kidnaps toddler while being chased by an angry mob

Boston Police report a man is spending the weekend in Bridgewater under observation following his arrest for a Saturday rampage that started on Robinson Street near Ronan Park and ended with his arrest several blocks away on Homes Avenue, after a dozen outraged residents chasing him pointed him out to police.

Police say the man, whom they did not name, began his solitary crime wave around 11:40 a.m. on Robinson Street:

Officers spoke with residents who stated that a male was banging on their door and yelling for them to let him in. As the residents opened the door and told him to leave, the male tried to enter their apartment. After the occupants closed their door, the suspect kicked it causing damage, and they heard him break something in the hallway. The officers observed damage to the apartment door, the doorbell casing, and an upstairs apartment door.

Officers spoke with another victim, who was outside when he heard a commotion. He watched as a male kicked his drivers sideview mirror of his motor vehicle. He yelled out at the male, who then approached the victim and punched him in the face, causing him to fall to the ground. The suspect kicked the victim before he fled on Robinson Street towards Draper Street.

As officers were talking to the Robinson Street victims, another call came in: Somebody was vandalizing cars at Topliff and Stonehurst streets, about a half mile away.

Officers arrived in time to see residents chasing a man down the street, towards Homes Avenue:

As the suspect ran on Homes Avenue, with officers in pursuit, he picked up a toddler and began running down the street holding the child. He turned into a fenced yard at 94 Homes Avenue, put the toddler down and held the gate shut preventing the officers from getting in. The suspect then turned to run up the steps leading into the home. The officers were able to grab hold of the suspect, but he pushed them as they tried to place him in handcuffs. A brief struggle ensued, as he tried to escape the officers’ control. Officers were finally able to regain control of the suspect and place him under arrest.

Over a dozen people approached the officers and reported that the suspect had damaged several vehicles throughout the streets of Speedwell, Norton and Stonehurst. The officers were informed that the suspect was holding two long metal like objects, that he used to cause the damage. A total of 20 vehicles were reported vandalized during this incident.

Another victim approached police, the driver of a work van, who reported the guy had broken into his vehicle and stolen two metal sink hoses - which police found lying on the street. They add:

The mother of the toddler stated that she does not know the man who took her child, and that she has never seen him before. She stated that her child was unharmed during the incident.

The angry man continued being angry at booking, where he attacked one officer, police say, adding that on the trip to Bridgewater, he destroyed an interior camera and "violently" kicked the transport wagon's rear doors.

Before his trip south, the man was charged with attempted breaking and entering of a vehicle, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon - shod foot, breaking and entering of a motor vehicle, kidnapping, two counts of assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, malicious destruction of property and 20 counts of vandalism, police say.