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Man charged with stealing cars from Boston garages for joyrides, dragging officer
"This defendant was clearly drawn to high-end automobiles in parking garages and had no hesitation in stealing them or putting officers’ lives in danger when he got caught in them."
A Dorchester man was charged with a series of parking garage thefts and dragging a police officer in Boston, the Suffolk County District Attorney announced on Sunday.
On Tuesday, Anthony Crumbley, 29, was charged with breaking and entering with the intent to commit a felony, larceny from a building, several counts of larceny of a motor vehicle, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, attaching number plates, malicious destruction of property, assault with a dangerous weapon, and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident with property damage, the DA says.
On Thursday, Crumbley was also charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, failure to stop for police, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of personal injury, attaching wrong plates, and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident with property damage, the DA says.
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On Aug. 20, a black Mercedes S-Class sedan with Florida license plates, with the key fob inside, was seen leaving the garage from its monthly parking spot, according to surveillance footage obtained by the DA.
Later that day, the black sedan was seen parked outside the Atlantic Wharf Garage before Crumbley exited the vehicle and approached a grey Toyota RAV-4, which was later reported stolen, the DA says. The Toyota was recovered on Aug. 26 after officers found it parked in Jamaica Plain.
On Sept. 8, a black Mercedes C-300 was reported stolen from the 1 Seaport Boulevard garage, the DA says.
On Sept. 11, Crumbley was seen driving the C-300 at the Atlantic Wharf garage and stole a tablet from a “secure” office, which was later recovered with other belongings said to belong to the C-300 driver, the DA says.
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Around 6:15 p.m. on that day, an officer approached the C-300 on Woodrow Avenue. When the officer placed their hand on the mirror, the driver reversed and sped up, dragging the officer and causing injury to their hand, leg, and forearm. The driver hit two cars before fleeing onto Blue Hill Avenue, the DA says.
On Sept. 16, Crumbley drove through the gate of the garage at 125 High St. in a gray Range Rover, which was later reported stolen, after telling an attendant he lost his ticket.
On Sept. 19, Crumbley allegedly fled in the Range Rover after officers approached the vehicle. Later that day, police received a report of a broken down Range Rover with no registration driven by Crumbley, who said the car belonged to a friend, the DA says. He was then taken into custody.
Between Sept. 26 and Oct. 6, the C-300 was towed and the owner found a piece of mail addressed to Crumbley inside after retrieving the vehicle, the DA says.
“This defendant was clearly drawn to high-end automobiles in parking garages and had no hesitation in stealing them or putting officers’ lives in danger when he got caught in them,” Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden wrote in a statement. “Putting all of these events together with the same individual displayed some top-notch detective work.”
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Crumbley is being held prior to his pre-trial hearings on Jan. 6 and Jan. 8 in Boston Municipal Court, according to the DA.
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