METHUEN — Chief Scott J. McNamara reports that a Methuen Police Department K-9 Unit helped officers locate and arrest a man hiding inside a commercial building he had broken into early Wednesday morning.
JUAN RIVERA, AGE 42, OF SAUGUS was arrested and charged with:
- Breaking and Entering Nighttime for Felony
- Possession of Burglarious Instruments
- Malicious Destruction of Property under $1,200
Methuen Police responded to a business alarm at 145 Milk St., at 1:48 a.m., and discovered audible alarms sounding but no open doors, windows, or signs of a break-in.
A business manager responded to the scene and walked through the business with responding officers, discovering drawers and cabinets inside the building that appeared to be pried open and two televisions missing.
Officers requested detectives and a K-9 unit come to the scene to further the investigation. Meanwhile, officers located the missing televisions elsewhere in the building, along with a number of other items.
Officer Christine Nicolosi and her K-9 partner Kilo began searching the building on arrival, with Kilo leading officers to the second floor and then the third floor, where the K-9 tracked toward a dark, unfinished room containing several large cabinets that were on the floor and covered in ceiling tiles.
Officers announced themselves, and a male later identified as RIVERA responded verbally, and then emerged from one of the cabinets that was covered by ceiling tiles. RIVERA was placed into custody, and a subsequent search of RIVERA discovered two screwdrivers, a set of keys, and a flashlight among his possessions.
Later in the morning, Methuen Police received a report of a suspicious vehicle parked on Timber Lane — just off Milk Street — and upon investigating determined the keys found in RIVERA‘s possession were for that vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the Methuen Police Department to be processed for additional evidence.
“This suspect was well-hidden, deep inside a large commercial building and far from the most visible evidence of the crimes of which he is accused. The assistance K-9 Kilo and his unique skills provided to this investigation were absolutely critical,” said Chief McNamara. “This arrest highlights the incredible contribution that our K-9 partners make to law enforcement, and I commend, Kilo, Officer Nicolosi and all of the officers and detectives who worked together to locate a suspect.”
Methuen Police are investigating whether RIVERA may be linked to other break-ins, including a previous break-in at the same location.
RIVERA was expected to be arraigned Wednesday in Lawrence District Court.
Methuen Police would like to remind business owners of the following recommended precautions to help protect their property:
- If your business has an alarm, use it.
- If your business does not have an alarm system, consider installing one.
- Do not leave cash in the building after closing.
- If your business has a camera system, leave lighting on when the business is closed to aid in the quality of video surveillance.
“We strongly advise business owners to install and use alarm systems, and this incident shows why,” said Chief McNamara. “This business alarm system detected a break-in that was not immediately apparent from the exterior of the building, and it helped lead officers to an arrest in this case.”
These are allegations. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.