On the night of October 3, 60 unlocked cars were entered, rummaged through, and some items were taken in Hingham. Two thieves took a laptop, house and car keys, coins, cash, and an electric scooter.
By 12:48 a.m., a resident on Pilgrim Road in the Liberty Pole neighborhood reported seeing two males breaking into a car in their driveway. Hingham Police, with a K9 and help from the Norwell Police Department, set up a perimeter in the area. The police launched a drone that tracked the suspects. When the officers approached the suspects, one of them got away. The other suspect, a Holbrook teen, was identified and arrested.
The 17-year-old that Hingham Police did apprehend is charged with Breaking and Entering into a Motor Vehicle, Disturbing the Peace, and Conspiracy. The investigation into the break-ins is ongoing.
The police organized a quick response to the unprecedented incident in Hingham. One resident and victim, Mike McCarthy, remarked, “It was surprising and shocking. I feel like we definitely have a false sense that nothing like this happens in Hingham. As if there’s no crime. It was definitely a wake-up call.”
About the police department’s response, Mike McCarthy shared, “I had no idea we had high-tech resources.”
Higham High School school resource officer Thomas Ford provided insights into the police department’s process.
“What we do is if we know where people are breaking in, we set up a perimeter, and we also set up a patrol K9,” he said. “We also have a drone, and even in the dark, it can see with infrared.”
Officer Ford also explained the typical nature of these crimes.
“They will canvas neighborhoods where doors are usually left unlocked.”
Officer Ford shared that the best things to do to protect your own belongings are to “not leave valuables in your car and always make sure your doors are locked.” He added, “If you are suspicious that a crime is happening, don’t be afraid to call the police”. The neighbors who spotted the crime and took the initiative to call were vital in the process of catching one of the thieves.
Maeve Maroney, a junior at Hingham High School whose car had also been entered, explained, “The whole incident felt so random and shocking. I think it caught the whole neighborhood by surprise.”
Another Hingham High School student and victim, Dee Sweeney, added, "No one expected anything like this to happen, but we were lucky that only a few items were taken”.
While the break-ins may have been shocking, they were a good wake-up call that, even though Hingham is typically a safe town, it is better to err on the side of caution.
Veronica Webb is a Junior at Higham High School. A version of this story originally appeared in "The Harborlight," Hingham High School's student newspaper.