For Immediate Release

Friday, Jan. 23, 2015

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 978-743-0004
Email: john@jgpr.net

Pepperell Police Use Teamwork Two Arrest Two Suspects During B&E in Progress

PEPPERELL — Police Chief David Scott announces that the Pepperell Police Department yesterday morning arrested two suspects with some help from an old friend and three of its closest neighbors.

Pepperell Police received a 911 call from a Bayberry Road resident at 10:30 a.m. yesterday. The caller told police that she had just arrived home and found a woman in a vehicle in the driveway, who immediately fled the area.  The resident then entered her home and heard someone walking around upstairs.  The homeowner immediately called police and gave the dispatcher a description of the vehicle.

Officer Steven Burke, while responding to the call, located a vehicle matching the description on Heald Street near the apple orchard.  He questioned the lone female occupant who claimed that she had been in town dropping off a friend.  Meanwhile, Sergeant Alan Lessieur responded to the Bayberry Road residence just as a male suspect was fleeing the home.  Sergeant Lessieur chased the male on foot through the woods towards Ashley Street.

Shortly afterward, several Police Officers from Dunstable, Groton and Townsend Police arrived to assist in the search for the male suspect.

Retired Pepperell Police Chief Alan Davis was at the Pepperell Police Department for a meeting with Chief Scott. As he was driving away after the meeting adjured so Chief Scott could attend to the incident, Chief Davis actually located the male suspect walking on West Street in the area of Hog Hill Road.  Police units converged on the location and took the male suspect into custody.

The male was identified as CHRISTOPHER IRWIN, AGE 29, OF TOWNSEND. He was charged with:

• Breaking and Entering During the Daytime with Intent to Commit a Felony / Putting a Person in Fear
• Furnishing a False Name to Police
• Possession of a Class “A” Drug.  (Heroin or Opioids)

Irwin is known to police in the region. He was also detained on multiple outstanding arrest warrants.

The female suspect, JACQUELINE COLELLA, AGE 27, OF LEOMINSTER, was also arrested and charged with B&E Daytime with Intent to Commit a Felony.

Chief Scott recognized yesterday’s actions as an example of the kind of teamwork and partnerships forged by area police departments. Groton also sent their K9 Unit and a detective to assist in the investigation.

Money and jewelry belonging to the resident were found in a duffle bag during the arrest.

“This was a fantastic example of municipal police departments using teamwork to catch the bad guys,” Chief Scott said. “The homeowner should be credited with realizing what was happening, calling the police from outside the home, and giving us a good description of the vehicle.”

“Even retired Chief Davis dusted off his criminal tracking skills after five years of retirement!” Chief Scott added

Although Chief Scott does not recommend that civilians get involved in potentially dangerous situations such as this, he did note that the community did play a role.

“We had neighbors chasing the bad guy through the woods with garden tools and volunteer firemen helping search the perimeter,” he said. “It’s a great sense of community, but people do need to be careful.  Overall things turned out well.”

Chief Scott said that this should show drug addicts, who want to rob people and burglarize homes, that they will not find a soft target in Pepperell.

Both suspects were transported to Ayer District Court for arraignment.

These are allegations. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.

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