Fake food delivery driver stole guns, credit cards from Maynard homes, police say
MAYNARD - A man who said he was a food delivery driver was arrested in connection with at least seven residential break-ins in Maynard, police say.
Joseph Encarnacion Jr. of Lynn was charged with several counts of breaking and entering during the daytime, firearm larceny, unlawful possession of a firearm, receiving stolen property, among other charges.
Investigators say his MO was to pretend to be a food delivery driver to get inside an apartment building, but really, he is alleged to be a bold thief who broke into seven homes and apartments in 24 hours.
One of the homes was Josh Goldberg's where police say he stole three guns in safes.
"I'm incredibly relieved they are off the streets," said Goldberg. "I'm licensed and keep everything above board and do my best to stay on the right side of the law and it's my biggest nightmare to come home and see that missing."
Josh came home on Wednesday to find the door lock busted and one of his gun safes were gone.
"I had it tethered to a piece of furniture, and they ripped the safe off of the furniture," said Goldberg. "The other safe, they couldn't take, so they cracked It open."
Even another neighbor called police saying they found a man claiming to be a food delivery driver inside their apartment-then the person took off.
"It was the same suspect, the same description and the officers very diligently got all the video tape evidence they could find and got a good positive ID of the suspect and got the license plate of the vehicle," said Maynard Police Chief Michael Noble.
Thanks to those surveillance video and license plate clues, a detective went to track down more surveillance video from an Acton gas station where they say the suspect used a stolen card, then the officer stumbled upon Encarnacion at the gas station. He was pulled over and was arrested.
Not only that, but detectives also say Encarnacion had racked up a loot of jewelry, electronics, stolen credit cards and $6,000 in cash which was all found in his girlfriend's Lowell apartment.
"If those firearms were still left out on the streets, that could have been deadly," said Chief Michael Noble.
Now that Encarnacion's cover is blown, victims like Goldberg are just glad the guns didn't end up in the wrong hands.
"The best way to prevent this kind of stuff from happening is to help people not feel desperate anymore, give them opportunities," said Goldberg.
Encarnacion was arraigned Friday afternoon in Concord District Court and held without bail. Police said more charges may be brought, and the investigation is ongoing.