Crime & Safety
Officer's Keen Instincts Nab Three Suspects
A routine building check while on patrol leads to burglary arrests.
Sharp police work by Officer Alysia Russo led to the arrest on three suspects on multiple charges early Sunday morning.
According to Deputy Chief John Votto, Russo was on a routine building check in the area of County Road at around 7:30 a.m., when she caught sight of three individuals she knew shouldn't be in the neighborhood.
Her subsequent investigation led to the arrests of Dustin Fortunata, Patrick Crowley and Phillip Crowley for allegedly breaking into a County Road residence.
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Fortunata, 24, is charged with breaking and entering for the purpose of committing a misdemeanor, burglary, breaking and entering and trespass on real property.
The Crowleys, both 18, face the same charges.
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According to Deputy Chief Votto, the case is symptomatic of an upswing in "economic-based" crimes, such as burglaries and robberies over the past year or so in Tewksbury.
Earlier this month, a tip from a resident led to the arrest of two individuals in connection with a series of local break-ins.
Votto would not say whether police believed the two cases were related, citing an ongoing investigation.
The suspects were arraigned Aug. 16 in Lowell District Court.
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