A man is accused of posing as a food delivery driver and stealing guns and credit cards from multiple homes in Maynard this week, police said.
Joseph A. Encarnacion Junior, 39, of Lynn was arrested in connection with seven break-ins at homes in Maynard that took place between Wednesday and Thursday. He is accused of stealing three guns and several credits cards that he allegedly used in nearby towns, according to a statement from Maynard Police Chief Michael A. Noble.
“From top to bottom, our officers understood not only the danger of multiple stolen firearms likely to end up sold on the streets, but we also had a profound duty to respond to the intrusions on the homes of several of our residents,” Noble said in the statement. “The message should be clear: Our residents will not be victimized, and we will employ all of our considerable resources to pursue suspects in these matters.”
Shortly before 4 p.m. Wednesday, police received a call from a resident who arrived home to find a stranger in their apartment. The resident told officers the man claimed to be a mobile app-based food delivery driver and then quickly left the home, according to the statement.
Seven other Maynard residents came forward from Wednesday evening through Thursday to report break-ins and items stolen from their home. One resident reported three guns were stolen, the statement said.
Police quickly scoured the surrounding area for available video surveillance footage, found a suspect car and were able to garner a description of the person accused of stealing the items, according to the police chief.
The person allegedly responsible for the break-ins also stole several credit cards and used them in nearby towns, including in Acton at a gas station, the police chief said.
As an officer was visiting the gas station to get more video footage from the manager, he noticed a car with a license plate matching that from the breaking-and-entering cases and recognized the driver from the description of the suspect. The officer pulled over the vehicle and arrested the individual, according to the statement.
In a later search of an apartment in Lowell allegedly rented by Encarnacion’s girlfriend, police found most of the stolen items from the break-ins in Maynard, including the three stolen guns, the statement said.
Officers also discovered a fourth firearm and other items, including more than $6,000 in cash. Some of the items, including the fourth gun, were not immediately identified as those stolen in the break-ins in Maynard. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges may be brought forward, Noble noted.
Encarnacion was charged with three counts of breaking and entering during the daytime with intent to commit a felony, three counts of larceny of a firearm, three counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, breaking into a depository, nine counts of receiving stolen property under $1,200, two counts of larceny of a credit card, improper use of a credit card under $1,200, identity fraud, two counts of larceny from a building and three counts of possession of ammunition without a Firearms Identification Card, according to Noble.
He was arraigned on the charges Friday in Concord District Court.