2 arrested for allegedly breaking into and stealing from Laced Boston
Items taken were later returned to the South End store, police said.
Two people were arrested early Wednesday morning after they allegedly broke into a South End streetwear store and made off with cash, clothes, and other gear, police say.
John Precourt, 43, of Boston, and Alelia Whalen, 30, of Wilmington, are each charged with breaking and entering of a building nighttime for felony and larceny of a building, Boston police said in a statement. Precourt also faces a charge of malicious destruction of property.
Officers responded to a radio call for a commercial alarm at Laced, on Massachusetts Avenue, around 1:43 a.m., police said.
At the scene, officers found the front window of the shop shattered and the front door locked. The store owner let them inside, where authorities found a large rock beneath the window.
“Officers spoke with the store owner who stated multiple items had been stolen as well as an undisclosed amount of U.S. currency,” police said. “Surveillance footage showed a male and a female throwing a rock through the window, reaching inside the store, and grabbing various items before fleeing on foot down Massachusetts Ave towards Tremont Street.”
Police searched nearby for suspects and found and arrested a man, later identified as Precourt, matching the description of one of the subjects near 393 Mass. Ave.. Precourt had a purple jacket belonging to the store, according to officials.
Additional officers who responded to the scene found a woman, now known to be Whalen, matching the description of the other suspect near 526 Mass. Ave., authorities said. On her, police found a blue and black backpack and a black coat that belonged to Laced, officials said.
During the booking process, police also found illegal narcotics on Whalen, authorities said. Additional charges were filed against her for possession of Class A drugs, possession of Class C drugs, and possession of Class E drugs.
The items found by police were returned to the store, the statement says. Precourt and Whalen were expected to be arraigned in Boston Municipal Court.
The incident comes just over a week after Laced was broken into and looted following peaceful protests against racism and police brutality in the city on May 31.
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