Cape Wide News

B&E suspect nabbed in Chatham; Dennis kidnapping, burglary, car break-ins; wind advisory issued

Police seek man for home invasion, kidnapping
DENNIS - There are new details on a story reported first at Cape Wide News. Dennis Police say at approximately 1:40 a.m. on Sunday they responded to a 911 call from a father reporting that his daughter had been assaulted and taken from their residence located off Route 6A in Dennis Village.

An investigation revealed that sometime after midnight on May 11th, an unknown male subject had entered the unlocked residence and woke the  sleeping teenage girl by covering her mouth with his hand. The suspect then told the victim that he had a knife and would harm her and her family, if she did not comply with his demands.

The victim was then forcibly taken from the residence and lead to a nearby location where she was assaulted.  At that time the victim was able to talk the suspect into letting her go and she immediately returned to her residence and woke her parents.

The victim was treated for injuries not considered life-threatening.

The suspect was described as a white male, between 5'6"-5'9", medium build, believed to be in his late 20s or 30s and unshaven. He was wearing a dark colored fleece outer garment, light colored pants and a dark colored mask.

An unlocked vehicle owned by the victim's family, which was parked in the driveway of the residence, had also been entered and some medication was taken.

In addition to the victim, the residence was occupied by four family members at the time of the incident.

Dennis Police were assisted in the investigation by Yarmouth Police Officer Marc Thibeault and his K-9 dog Clark and Barnstable County Sheriff's Department Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call Det. Sgt. Ben Wunderlich at 774-352-1433 or the Dennis Police tipline at 774-352-1500.

Update: on June 10th a suspect was arrested-click here.

Fire damages house in Falmouth
FALMOUTH - Fire damaged a home in Falmouth early Tuesday morning. Firefighters responded to 19 Amvets Road just after 2 a.m. to find fire on the outside of the home. The blaze was quickly knocked down and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Further details were not immediately available.

B&E suspect nabbed in Chatham
CHATHAM - A suspect wanted in connection with a reported break-in near the Chatham Fish Pier is in custody. Chatham Police, assisted by the Coast Guard, harbormaster and Sheriff's Department, had set up a perimeter around the scene for a K-9 dog to track when an officer spotted the suspect in a backyard on Old Harbor Road. He was taken into custody without incident.  Further details were not immediately available. See update here.

Dennis Police investigate breaking and entering
DENNIS -At approximately 11:50 p.m. on Sunday, Dennis Police responded to a residence located in the Cedar Hill Road area of East Dennis for a report of a breaking and entering which had just occurred at the residence.

The victim, an elderly female, told police that she had woken to the sound of movement inside her bedroom.  She further stated that she then observed the outline of a person fleeing from her bedroom, followed shortly thereafter by the sound of a vehicle starting nearby and speeding away from the area.

The victim told police that upon checking her residence, she found that a pocketbook, containing a small amount of cash and personal papers, was missing from her bedroom.

The police found that a rear unlocked door had been used to enter the house.

Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call Det. Sgt. Ben Wunderlich at 774-352-1433 or the Dennis Police tipline at 774-352-1500.

Dennis Police investigate rash of car B&Es
DENNIS - Dennis Police are investigating thirteen car breaks which occurred overnight (Saturday, May 10th into Sunday morning May 11th, 2008) in the Chadwick and Pheasant Lane area of South Dennis.

All of the vehicles were unlocked at the time of the breaks and items taken included two radar detectors, a GPS, satellite radio, CD player and a laptop computer.

Anyone with information concerning these incidents is asked to call the Dennis Police Department at 508-394-1315 or the tipline at 774-352-1500.

Dennis Police Kick Off Click It or Ticket Enforcement Mobilization
DENNIS - The Dennis Police Department announced today it is joining with hundreds of other law enforcement agencies across the country in renewing a pledge to save lives by intensifying efforts to enforce seat belt laws - among all motorists and around the clock - during the 2008 Click It or Ticket mobilization, which runs from May 14 - June 4.

In 2006, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 15,046 passenger vehicle occupants were killed between the nighttime hours of 6 p.m. and 5:59 a.m. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of those killed at night were NOT wearing seat belts - compared to less than half (46%) of the passenger vehicle occupants killed during daytime hours.

Along with nighttime motorists, men - particularly young men - are among those less likely to buckle up. In 2006, 73 percent of male passenger vehicle occupants between the ages of 18 and 34 who were killed in crashes were NOT wearing seat belts.

In fact, all young people are at greatly increased risk. Sixty-four percent of teenage passenger vehicle occupants killed in fatal crashes during 2006 were NOT wearing seat belts at the time of the crashes. And the 2006 observed seat belt usage rate of those 16 to 24 was lower than any other age group.

"With 18 percent of all Americans failing to buckle up regularly, it's clear that far too many people still don't take belt laws seriously," Chief of Police Michael Whalen said. Among some groups, especially young men, the unbuckled rate is especially high - and the fatal crash rate increases significantly at night. So look for us to be out on the streets day and night from mid-May through June 4th making sure that everyone is buckled up."

Chief Whalen said, "Worn correctly, seat belts have proven to reduce the risk of fatal injury in a crash by 45 percent for front-seat passenger vehicle occupants and by 60 percent in pickup trucks, SUVs, and minivans. In fact, data shows that more than three-quarters (77%) of passenger vehicle occupants who were in a serious crash in 2006 and were buckled up survived the crash."

Increased law enforcement activities will be conducted nationwide during the 2008 Click It or Ticket mobilization. Paid national advertising, as well as State advertising, will support the mobilization by promoting the life-saving benefits of regular seat belt use, especially nighttime belt use, to all motorists.

"Regular seat belt use is the single most effective way to protect people and reduce motor vehicle crash fatalities. And high-visibility enforcement is effective at getting people to buckle up," said Chief Whalen. "Wearing your seat belt is easy and it costs you nothing. Not wearing it might cost you a ticket, or worse - your life. I urge everyone in Dennis to please be safe and buckle up day and night - Click It or Ticket."

To learn more about the Click It or Ticket campaign and the lifesaving benefits of wearing your seat belt, please visit www.nhtsa.gov.

CWN weather alert: Wind advisory in effect until 9 a.m. Tuesday.  A powerful nor'easter will pass south of Cape Cod but come close enough to freshen northeast winds 30-35 MPH with gusts to 50 MPH possible.