By Julie Manganis
BEVERLY — Two men who police say were caught breaking into a Beverly sporting goods store on Thanksgiving morning claim through their lawyers that it's all just a big misunderstanding.
Brian Soucy, 30, of 41 Grant St., Beverly, says he wasn't acting as a lookout; he was just waiting outside a convenience store next door for a ride to Thanksgiving dinner.
And Francis Coughlin, 28, of 42 Grant St., Beverly, says he had those heavy-duty snips — the type that can be used to cut wires like the ones found cut behind the business — because he was planning to spend part of his day looking for a Christmas tree.
Notwithstanding their explanations, the pair were ordered held on $10,000 cash bail each by Salem District Court Judge Robert Cornetta following their arraignments on charges of attempting to commit a crime (breaking and entering), wanton destruction of property, and possession of burglarious tools.
And prosecutors say the two are suspects in a series of other recent business burglaries in Beverly.
Coughlin, who is currently on probation after serving six months in jail for a burglary last year, was also ordered detained pending the outcome of a probation violation hearing and could end up serving the remaining two years of his sentence in that earlier case.
Soucy recently completed a six-month term for a burglary earlier this year.
Prosecutor Honor Segal described how an off-duty officer, Patrolman William Barror, was on his way to work around 8 a.m. Thursday when he noticed the two men outside Todd's Sporting Goods, on Cabot Street in the Gloucester Crossing area of Beverly.
The officer recognized the pair from prior incidents, Segal said. During a recent roll call, the officer had also seen pictures of the two.
The officer called for backup and when other officers arrived, they approached Coughlin, who immediately complained, "This is harassment," Segal told the judge.
Segal said Soucy told the officers he was just waiting for a ride from his brother to a family dinner in Peabody.
Segal noted that no one ever showed up at the scene to pick up Soucy while they were there.
Asked about the snips that police found on Coughlin, he told them they were for his work as a roofer.
Officers checking behind the building noticed that some wires had been freshly cut and that the snips had chips of white coating in their teeth. They also found damage to a junction box.
Segal said the store's alarm system and computers were still functioning, however.
Coughlin's lawyer, Paul Moraski, said his client does work as a roofer and had the snips with him because, his client told him, he was going to look for Christmas trees later.
Moraski also questioned the legality of the police pat-frisk that turned up the snips.
Soucy's lawyer, Heidi Shore, said her client insists he was actually outside a convenience store next to the sporting goods business waiting for his ride and had nothing to do with any burglary attempt.
"He doesn't know anything about it," Shore said.
A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Dec. 22.
