By Ethan Forman
Staff writer
August 28, 2008 05:30 am DANVERS — After a chase on Route 114 during which a patrolman twice struck the pursued vehicle with his cruiser, police arrested two people in connection with a reported car break in the parking lot of the Liberty Tree Mall on Tuesday at 5 p.m., police said. Police found articles in the suspect's vehicle, such as car stereos and radio equipment, that led them to believe they came from more than just the two car breaks reported in Danvers on Tuesday, police Chief Neil Ouellette said. Arrested were Lewis Diaz, 37, of 677 Essex St., Apt 170, and Christy Lebron, 32, of 9 Easton St., South Lawrence. Both were arraigned in Salem District Court yesterday, police said. Charges against Diaz are: driving without a license; failure to stop for police; furnishing a false name upon arrest; two counts of receiving stolen property (over $250); two counts of breaking into and entering a vehicle in the daytime for a felony; two counts of malicious damage to a motor vehicle; breaking into and entering a building for a felony; possession of burglary tools; reckless operation of motor vehicle; resisting arrest; a marked lanes violation; speeding; two counts of failure to stop at stop sign; two counts of larceny over $250; and using a motor vehicle in commission of a felony, Sgt. David Joyce said. Police also charged Lebron with two counts of receiving stolen property (over $250); two counts of larceny (over $250); two counts of malicious damage to a motor vehicle; and two counts of breaking into and entering a motor vehicle. Police, who have seen a rash of car breaks in the mall's parking lots this summer, were tipped by a bystander. "A witness called us and said he was watching a white male break into a car at the Liberty Tree Mall," Ouellette said. The witness saw the culprit take something from the vehicle and then get into a nearby Chevrolet. The witness gave police a description of the Chevy and a license plate number. Officer Michael Bean was on routine patrol when he converged on the mall and came across the vehicle. Bean attempted to stop it, but police said the operator refused and instead fled onto Endicott Street, taking a left on Sylvan Street, then a right onto Route 114, heading west toward Middleton. In the area of The Home Depot, 92 Newbury St., which is to the west of Route 1, the suspect vehicle attempted to take an illegal U-turn, causing Bean's cruiser to hit the rear of the vehicle, spinning it around so that the cruiser struck the driver's side. The vehicle sped away and eventually Diaz ran from it. While officers ran after him, Lebron was taken into custody, having stayed in the passenger seat. Diaz was apprehended after running into a home at 146 Andover St. No one was injured during the chase, and no one was home at the residence, police said. Ouellette said police are trying to track down the owners of the stolen articles, and believe the pair may have been involved in other car breaks than the two reported Tuesday, based on the articles they found. There have been 23 incidents involving auto thefts and car breaks in June, July and August, Ouellette said. Beside Bean, Patrolmen Phil Tansey, Stephen McDonald, Justin Ellenton and William Cassidy assisted under the direction of Sgt. William Carleton. Dispatchers Justin Bullis and Richard Beaulieu did a good job of keeping the witness on the phone and relaying information to officers, Ouellette said.
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