North Adams Police Seeking Robbery Suspect

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Police are looking for man suspected of robbing Whitney's Beverage Shop and injuring an employee on Wednesday.
 
According to police, a man entered the stored armed with a folding knife and demanded money from the clerk. At some point, a physical altercation ensued between the clerk and the suspect, during which the suspect slashed the clerk with the knife. The suspect fled the establishment, last seen heading southbound from the Oasis Plaza.
 
The shop reported the robbery at 12:57 p.m. Police have not released information on what, if anything, had been stolen.

The suspect is described as a white male in his mid 20s, standing approximately 5-foot-6, with brown hair, and wearing a blue T-shirt and blue jeans.

This is an active and ongoing investigation that will continue until the suspect is identified and apprehended. If anyone has any information regarding this incident, please contact the North Adams Police Department at 413-664-4944, Ext. 1, or leave a private message on the department's Facebook page.

North Adams Police Investigating Theft of Veteran's ATV

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Police are searching for an all-terrain vehicle stolen from a local World War II veteran.

The theft was reported by the 99-year-old veteran on Friday morning.

The 1987 Suzuki 4-Wheeler, orange in color and with a plow attached, was taken from a residence on lower Furnace Street. The theft occurred sometime in the past two weeks.

Police declined to expand on the theft, saying the incident is under investigation.

However, the department's posting on Facebook seeking information on the incident stated the 4-wheeler was very important to the victim. Though it hadn't been used in a while, "itt was an symbol of independence to him as the victim no longer is able to drive a vehicle," the post read.

North Adams Police are asking anyone with any information regarding the matter contact the station at 413-664-4944, Ext. 4209.

North Adams Fire Starts in Basement, Ends on Roof

A stubborn wall fire made its way up the side of a Windom Terrace home on Thursday night.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A basement fire at a Windom Terrace home on Thursday burned up through the siding and into the roof before firefighters could finally douse the smoky blaze.

The fire was first reported as smoke coming from the basement shortly before 11:30 p.m. but a police officer who swung by immediately reported it as a structure fire.

The wraparound porch on the single-family home at 25 Windom was in flames and smoke was pouring from the basement. The owner, Joanne Derose, was able to exit the building; three cats were also taken safely from the structure.

"She heard the smoke detector going off in the basement, opened the door all the smoke and fire came up," said Fire Director Stephen Meranti. "Before we got here that porch was fully involved. you could see how it spread way over here.

"It got from the porch ceiling into the walls right up through outside wall and into the eaves ... there's really not that much fire."

More than a dozen firefighters attacked the blaze at several points on the exterior — pulling down the porch ceiling, yanking off the vinly siding and exterior sheathing, cutting a hole in the roof — as the intensity of the smoke moved up the west side of the building. The flames popped through roof at its peak.

"There's no structural damage, it's all exterior," Meranti said. "The worst part is water damage.

"We put down salvage covers over the furniture to try to protect them from damage, but unfortunately, you've got to open the walls to get to the fire."

Much of the fire damage is in the basement, which had "all kinds of combustible material."

The house cannot be occupied at the moment and Derose was going to spend the night with family.

North Adams Ambulance Service was at the scene and the Clarksburg responded with an air truck. A fire watch was set for the night.

Church Street was closed between Washington Avenue and Elmwood to allow hoses to be run up from Church Street.

The fire was contained by1:30. The cause is still under investigation.

Police Seeking Information on Missing Pittsfield Girl

Hayleigh Jacobs was last seen on Saturday at the Berkshire Mall.

***CANCEL: Cancel the Missing Person Report. Hayleigh has been located and is safe and sound. Thank you for your assistance and shares. CANCEL***

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Police are seeking help in the search for a missing 16-year-old Pittsfield girl.

Hayleigh Jacobs was last seen on Saturday, May 16, at the Berkshire Mall in Lanesborough at about 9:45 a.m. with two men or boys, both of slim build and with short hair, and a woman or girl who stands about 5-foot-2 with long brown hair.

Jacobs is described as white, approximately 5-foot-5 tall and weighing 114 pounds. She has brown hair and green eyes and was last seen wearing multicolored leggings and a grey sweat shirt. She had attended Drury High School.

Anyone with information regarding Hayleigh Jacobs or her whereabouts is asked to contact Pittsfield Police at 413-448-9700.

North Adams Police Warn Not to Chase Bears

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Hungry black bears have been on the prowl in the area lately searching for food after their long winter's nap.

There's been a lot of news about the creatures and plenty of reports of them lingering in residential areas. But one impaired resident decided to chase one into the woods on Monday night prompting North Adams Police to post a humorous warning on the department's Facebook page:

**Chasing bears through the woods drunk with a dull hatchet is strongly not advised**

The North Adams Police Department is urging everyone to NOT chase bears through the woods with a dull hatchet, drunk. Yes that really did happen tonight. We understand there are bears in the area. If you see a bear, LEAVE IT ALONE and call us. We certainly don't need anyone going all Davy Crockett chasing it through the woods drunk with a dull hatchet. It is just a bad idea and not going to end well. It will however, certainly end you up in jail ... which it did. The hatchet man was taken into protective custody due to his incapacitation from the consumption of alcoholic beverage. We are still trying to figure out what his end game was. Any thoughts on what he was going to do if he did locate it? We would certainly like to hear because we have no idea.

Really, leave the bears alone. It seems like we go through this every year:

Take down bird feeders, secure trash and don't leave pet food outside. No food available and the bears will leave. Failing that, some loud noises, like banging pans, may also deter them.

And whatever you do, don't chase them into the woods — with or without a dull hatchet. #goingDaveyCrockett