At least five residents of an isolated Tewksbury neighborhood reported having vehicles broken into during an overnight crime spree late last week.

Residents at 38 Coolidge St., 35 Cooolidge St., 54 Walnut St., 73 Chestnut Road and 68 Walnut St., homes all located with a quarter-mile of each other in a neighborhood off Whipple Road near the Billerica line, reported that their vehicles were broken into in the early morning hours of May 12.

In one case, two vehicles at the same address were broken into. In most cases the thefts were limited to spare change but one vehicle owner reported a collectible knife and an FM transmitter were taken. Another woman reported her pocketbook was taken, which contained all of her identification.

The investigation into the break-ins is ongoing by Tewksbury Police.

Motor vehicle stops leads to drug busts

An Andover man is facing drug charges after a routine traffic stop at the intersection of Shawsheen and Apache Way. David Martinez, 20, of 13 Shepley St. was stopped for a marked lanes violation and failure to signal just after 2 a.m. Friday. After a brief investigation, he was arrested and charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and three counts of possession of a Class E substance.

Thursday afternoon, just after 1 p.m., a Lawrence man was stopped for an inspection sticker violation. However, after a brief investigation, Juan Oquendo, 24, of 779 Essex St. Apt. 3, was arrested for possession of a Class B substance with intent to distribute, violation of drug laws near a school or park, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license (subsequent offense), as well as an outstanding warrant.

A car break that wasn't

Saturday morning, a clerk from the Marriott Town Place Suites called police to report that a car appeared to have been broken into at the hotel. The clerk said the car was parked at the back of the lot and that the window had been smashed in. The clerk further stated that the keys to the vehicle were on the dashboard.

Officers responded to the scene and ran a check on the registered owner of the vehicle. Officers tried to contact the owner, a Lowell resident, without success. Next, officers planned to have the car towed and contacted the Lowell PD for their help in contacting the owner.

Before the car could be towed, officers were able to make a connection with the owner and she said the car had not, in fact, been broken into. Rather, she had locker her keys in the car the night before and had smashed the window herself. She said she was coming to get the car herself.

OUI arrest

Saturday, just after 2 a.m., an officer made a motor vehicle stop on Route 38 at Shawsheen for a marked lanes violation. After a brief investigation, Patrick McNamara, 21, of 88 Clark St., Wilmington, was arrested for OUI-liquor (second offense).

Larceny arrest

An officer on patrol on Ames Hill Road stopped a vehicle due to suspicious activity related to an earlier incident. After an investigation, the officer arrested Michael Busook, 19, of 631 Ames Drive, and charged him with larceny over $250.