Police and Fire News

Brewster fire; Caretakers charged with larceny from disabled person; cold shatters records

Firefighters battle frigid conditions at Brewster blaze
BREWSTER - Firefighters from several towns were forced to battle the elements as well as flames at a house fire at 263 Lower Road in Brewster. The two-alarm fire broke out sometime around 9 PM. Gusty winds and frigid 12 degree temperatures hampered efforts to control the fire. One hydrant was also reportedly frozen. The occupant reportedly escaped safely. A bus was brought to the scene to keep personel warm as crews rotated in and out of the fire building for over four hours trying to put out all the flames. The house was located some 500 feet off of the main road. Firefighters are seen here as a backhoe pulls apart the building which was full of collected material. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Photo courtesy of Joel Riker.

Vineyard firefighters battle house fire of their own
Meanwhile about 11:50 PM Firefighters on Marthas Vineyard were called to a house fire at 1 West Meadow Road in Chilmark. First reports said the house was fully involved. There's no word on any injuries. We'll bring you further details as we get them.

Caretakers accused of stealing from disabled person
DENNIS - Police arrest two people accusing them of stealing from the disabled person they were supposed to be caring for. The arrests followed a three month investigation into the theft of money from a disabled person which allegedly occurred over a two year period, Dennis Police arrested 52-year old Nancy Moore and 43-year old Clifford Schultz both of Dennis charging them with Conspiracy to Commit Larceny and Larceny Over $250 From a Disabled Person.

Dennis Police say The investigation began in mid-December, 2006 when a case worker for the Kennedy-Donovan Center (an agency who specializes in providing services to developmentally disabled persons) noticed discrepancies in receipts being submitted by Ms. Moore and Mr. Schultz regarding their care of a 57 year old disabled individual whom they were assigned as care-givers for in a residential setting.

An investigation conducted by Detective Garvin Kelley and Patrolman Dean Guite reportedly revealed that between November of 2005 and December, 2006 the suspects submitted over $8,000 in bogus or doctored receipts from legitimate and non-existent businesses to the Kennedy-Donovan Center for payment to them out of the victims account.

One of the incidents involved the purported purchase of a washer and dryer in the amount of $865 from a non-existent appliance store in Avon, Massachusetts. Others involved the supposed purchase of a TV from a TV repair shop in Holbrook that only repairs TV's as well as the purchase of carpet, air conditioners and heating services that never occurred.

In another instance Ms. Moore is accused of purchased a chair from a Cape furniture store using a personal bank check from her account which had insufficient funds. This chair was repossessed by the store however Ms. Moore submitted the purchase receipt for payment to the (Kennedy-Donovan) Center from the victims account. The victim was removed from the care of the suspects at the beginning of the investigation. The suspects were arrested at their residence at approximately 10:45AM this morning and were due to be arraigned in Orleans District Court this afternoon. The suspects could face up to ten years in state prison under the enhanced penalty for Larceny From a Disabled Person.

Cold blast shatters records
CAPE COD - Even for January standards it was cold Tuesday. For March its virtually unheard of. Temperatures hovering in the low teens with sub-zero windchills smashed records for this date. In Hyannis 12 degrees broke the previous record low of 16. The 23 degrees at midnight was the lowest high temperature on this date eclipsing the previous 26. Forecasters say the cold will ease slightly on Wednesday but a clipper will reenforce the cold on Thursday before a warmup finally arrives over the weekend.  Wednesday morning lows: Ptown 10, Chatham 11, Hyannis 8, Falmouth 5.

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