For Immediate Release

Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019

Media Contact: Kelsey Bode
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: kelsey@jgpr.net

Groveland Police Charge Juveniles in Connection with Stolen Motor Vehicle

GROVELAND — Chief Jeffrey Gillen reports that the Groveland Police Department has arrested two teenagers and charged them after they allegedly stole a motor vehicle and led police on a chase early Saturday morning.

Police are still searching for a third teen suspect involved in the incident.

Two 14-year-old males, both from Haverhill, were arrested after being pulled over and fleeing from their vehicle.

The first teen, the driver of the vehicle, was charged with the following:

• Larceny of a Motor Vehicle
• Failure to Stop for Police
• Leaving the Scene of Property Damage, Two Counts
• Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle

The second teen was charged with the following:

• Resisting Arrest
• Minor in Possession of Marijuana

At approximately 1:15 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28, Officer Adam Sanborn of the Groveland Police Department observed a gray minivan traveling southbound on Route 97 toward Georgetown while on patrol. He discovered that the vehicle had recently been reported stolen, out of Haverhill.

The vehicle was then observed turning onto Baldwin Terrace from School Street without using a turn signal. Officer Sanborn turned on his vehicle’s lights, and the minivan sped up and then came to an abrupt stop. The driver and two other male subjects jumped out.

The vehicle was never put into park, and continued moving down Baldwin Terrace onto the lawn of a home. The vehicle crashed into a mailbox and left tire tracks on the lawn before crashing into a tree on the side of the property.

The driver was located and placed under arrest a short distance from the vehicle.

Officers from Georgetown and West Newbury Police arrived on scene to assist in locating the two other males who fled from the vehicle

Amesbury Police K9 Officer Thomas Nichols and his K9 Achillies joined the search as well.

Approximately 20 minutes later Officer Paul DeCoste from West Newbury Police located a young male walking down School Street, and Officer Sanborn positively identified him as one of the two males who jumped out of the backseat of the minivan.

The youth was placed under arrest. While he was being searched, officers found a marijuana joint and a lighter in his possession.

Upon searching the vehicle, Officer Sanborn noticed a strong smell of burnt marijuana.

During booking the driver of the vehicle was found to have three active warrants for his arrest, all from Haverhill Police.

The suspects will be arraigned in Lawrence Juvenile Court. They have been charged in the recent past with breaking into cars and stealing motor vehicles in Groveland, as well as several incidents in Haverhill.

Because the suspects in this case are juveniles, their identities will not be released.

“We would like to thank the several nearby police departments for responding and assisting our officers in this case,” Chief Gillen said. “It was an example of strong cooperation between departments, and it is fortunate no one was injured when the vehicle rolled onto the lawn of the home.”

These are allegations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty.

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