By JEFF TIRRELL and JULIE CUNNINGHAM
(Greenfield, MA)
(UPDATE 7pm) Greenfield Police confirm the suspect was located and is in custody awaiting arraignment.
A car theft in Whately has become a three town incident. According to Gill Police Chief Christopher Redmond, Gill Police were dispatched to the area of Hoe Shop Road for a report of a brush fire in progress. Upon arrival, it was determined that the the fire was a fully engulfed box truck. The fire was quickly extinguished and an investigation revealed the car was stolen out of Whately in the early morning hours Tuesday. Gill Police were unable to locate a suspect, but Greenfield Police have been searching an area on Hoe Shop Road in Greenfield with K-9 units. According to Deputy Chief William Gordon, the search is connected to the incident in Gill.
A representative from the Whately Police Department confirmed the box truck found in Gill was the same box truck stolen from Pioneer Valley Growers Association earlier this morning around 9:30am. The officer said he was working on a breaking and entering when he got the call about the stolen box truck, and is unsure if the two are related. The stolen box truck could also be related to another pursuit in Whately earlier today.
Gordon confirmed that the suspect has been caught and is awaiting arraignment, at which time his identity will be released.
Greenfield, Montague, Gill and Bernardston police plus several K9 units as well as a State Police Helicopter are involved with this search. Police are asking for people to avoid the area of Lampblack Road in Greenfield for several hours this afternoon.
We’ll bring you more information as soon as it’s available online and on WHAI and Bear Country’s afternoon news at 4, 5 and 6 and tomorrow morning.