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Crime & Safety

Musician Arrested in 4-Day, 3-Town Burglary Spree on Martha's Vineyard

The Island tradition of leaving homes unlocked worked in the suspected burglar's favor until he was surprised by a Chilmark family Sunday afternoon while he allegedly was upstairs rifling through their belongings, the Martha's Vineyard Times reports.



A Pennsylvania man whose parents are seasonal Martha's Vineyard residents is accused of committing multiple burglaries in Edgartown, West Tisbury and Chilmark, allegedly taking jewelry and electronics valued at more than $100,000 over a four-day period during President Barack Obama's vacation here, reports the Martha's Vineyard Times.

The well-known Island tradition of leaving houses unlocked when nobody is home evidently worked in the suspected burglar's favor until he was surprised by a Chilmark family Sunday afternoon while he allegedly was upstairs rifling through their belongings, the Times reports.

Alerted to a description of the alleged burglar's vehicle, Chilmark police chief Brian Cioffi pursued and arrested 27-year-old musician Damien DeRose of Doylstown after a brief roadside struggle, according to the Times, which reports that DeRose was jailed with bail set at $90,000.

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