Pittsfield Man Charged in Break-in, Stealing Pickup Truck

GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — A Pittsfield man has been arrested in connection with a break-in at a Stockbridge Road restaurant after leading police on a chase across several South County towns.

Chief William Walsh said the Great Barrington Police Department, working collaboratively with neighboring police, arrested the man on Wednesday.

Nathan P. Lopes, 22, of Tyler Street has been charged with:

• Breaking and entering into a building during the nighttime to commit a felony
• Larceny over $250
• Possession of a stolen vehicle

The arrest of Lopes is part of an ongoing investigation into break-ins and larcenies from several buildings and businesses in multiple communities late Tuesday evening into Wednesday, including Egremont and West Stockbridge. Additional charges may be forthcoming.

At approximately 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Egremont Police received a call from county dispatch of a possible break-in at a house on Seekonk Cross Road. At the same time, Egremont Sgt. Hans Carlsen was investigating a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot of Mom's Restaurant on Route 23 in Egremont.

That officer informed dispatch that Seekonk Cross Road was located in Great Barrington. Great Barrington Police Officer Victor Zucco was unable to find the house on Seekonk Cross Road, and it is now believed that the operator of the suspicious vehicle at Mom's made a fake call to thwart police.

While searching for the house break-in, Zucco observed taillights in the distance and attempted to catch up with the vehicle. The vehicle, a pickup truck, kept driving away and Zucco lost sight of it. Both Zucco and Carlsen continued to search for the truck and crossed into Alford. While on East Road, Carlsen saw the truck in front of him going at a high rate of speed and he attempted to stop it. The truck crashed into a tree whereupon the operator fled on foot while throwing away wads of cash.

The suspect, identified as Lopes was captured, subdued, and placed in handcuffs. He was then transported to Fairview Hospital for minor facial injuries. The truck was a total loss.

State police from the Lee Barracks were called to investigate the accident as the incident was now in West Stockbridge.

Lopes was found to be intoxicated and operating the vehicle with a suspended license, and he will face additional charges from the state police.

Around 9 a.m., police at the accident scene in West Stockbridge notified Great Barrington Police that they found receipts from the Xicohtencatl Mexican Restaurant on Stockbridge Road in Great Barrington. Officer Adam Carlotto went to the closed restaurant and found an open window and fresh footprints. The owners later confirmed that they were missing money.

Police also recovered a large amount of cash, some beer and more receipts from Xicohtencatl while inventorying Lopes' possessions after his arrest.

Early Wednesday morning, a Pittsfield resident called the Pittsfield Police Department to report his truck stolen. The truck turned out to be the same truck that Lopes was operating.

Police from Great Barrington, Pittsfield, Egremont, and state police and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section all worked together Wednesday on the investigation, which remains ongoing.

Lopes is being held on $7,500 bail at the Great Barrington lockup and will be arraigned in Southern Berkshire District Court on Thursday morning.