ADAMS, Mass. — An local man threatened to blow up Rite Aide Pharmacy on Saturday if technicians refused to give him narcotics, said police.

Thomas Lee Deherrera, 23, of East Street was arrested and charged with stealing the prescription drugs oxycodone and fentanyl from the Columbia Street pharmacy.

Deherrera allegedly threatened store employees at about 3 p.m. on Saturday; he reportedly had a towel over his face and was wearing blue gloves. He handed pharmacy technicians a note saying he would blow up the pharmacy if he was not given the drugs, police said Monday.

Police called in a search dog from Williamstown but found no explosives. Deherrera was found and arrested while walking along the Hoosic River about a quarter of a mile away.

Deherrera was being held on $25,000 cash bail and was charged with unarmed robbery, larceny from a building, four counts of possession of oxycodone, a Class B substance, and three counts of possession of fentanyl, a Class A substance.

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Tuesday, April 26.

Kareen D. Beckett, 33, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and one count of assault and battery in connections to a November 22, 2009 incident.

Beckett also pleaded guilty to single counts of assault and batter and intimidation of a witness on the same victim - a 50-year-old woman. Those incidents occurred on September 28, 2009 and January 3, 2010.

Ford sentenced Beckett to serve concurrent three to four year at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction on the rape charges. He was also given concurrent sentences at the Berkshire County House of Corrections on the other charges.

Timothy M. Lewis, 34, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to a single count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

He was sentenced to a one year sentence at the Berkshire County House of Correction. Two additional charges of distribution of cocaine and a single count of drug violation in a school zone were dismissed by the state. Lewis was arrested on April 26, 2010.

POWNAL, Vt. — The rash of car break-ins that hit Williamstown, Mass. earlier this month has crossed the border.

Vermont State Police reported Monday 21 reports of unlocked cars being broken into during the weekend. Sergeant Brian Turner said the Vermont Fusion Center, a collaboration of law enforcement agencies, advised police that the two sprees could be linked because of the similarities.

"It could be up to 30 or 40 cars that were broken into," Turner said Monday. "They were all unlocked."

Similar to the Williamstown, Mass. break-ins, locked cars were not touched, items are being found on the side of the road near the incident and the stolen items range from money to electronics to personal items.

The thefts occurred between midnight and 6 a.m. Sunday on Barber Pond, Puddingstone, Middle Pownal, and Maple Grove roads.

"We're getting some tips in that we have to follow up on and we do have suspects," Turner said. "It's kind of like they are walking and just taking what they want." Earlier this month,

Williamstown, Mass. Police Chief Kyle Johnson said 22 unlocked vehicles were broken into and money, electronics – like GPS systems and digital cameras – and personal items were stolen. In some cases, personal effects were found on the roadside a short distance away.

According to Johnson, the vehicles were entered overnight in 16 locations including Main Street, North Street, Lindley Terrace, Buckley Street, Jamieson Heights, Porter Street, Belden Street, Henderson Road, North Hoosac Road, Sand Springs Road, Summer Street and Walnut Street.

Williamstown Experiences Slew of Vehicle Break-ins

Original Post: By: Staff Reports On: 11:26AM / Monday April 04, 2011

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Police continue to field reports of stolen items from unlocked cars during the weekend.

Police Chief Kyle Johnson said as of Monday 22 unlocked vehicles were broken into over the weekend and reports keep coming. Money, electronics - like GPS systems and digital cameras - and personal items were stolen. In some cases, personal effects were found on the roadside a short distance away.

Johnson said police currently do not have any leads in finding the culprit and asks that suspicious activity is reported immediately.

According to Johnson, the vehicles were entered overnight in 16 locations around town, including Main Street, North Street, Lindley Terrace, Buckley Street, Jamieson Heights, Porter Street, Belden Street, Henderson Road, North Hoosac Road, Sand Springs Road, Summer Street and Walnut Street.

Police are urging residents to remove all valuables and secure their vehicles.

CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The state police hazardous unit exploded a suspicious device discovered at a Clarksburg home on Tuesday.

"They detonated a device that appeared to be a homemade IED," said Chief Michael Williams. The device was taken to the sandbanks behind the Senior Center on Cross Road and blown up shortly before noon. The blast reportedly shook the center.

Williams said the residents of the home on Middle Road discovered the device on the property. The bomb squad was contacted to investigate and "they determined that they were just going to do a detonation because they didn't want to transport it for safety reasons."

He described as looking like "something somebody made." Nothing further of a suspicious nature was found or removed, said Williams.

The state fire marshal's office confirmed the bomb squad was called for report of an explosive device at the Middle Road home at about 9 a.m. and arrived to assist Clarksburg police.

"They found a device that they felt needed to be removed from the home and rendered it safe," said Jennifer Mieth, spokeswoman for the state fire marshal's office. Mieth said the term IED, or improvised explosive device, means it was not a military-made device.

This is the third time in three years a hazardous unit has been called to North Berkshire. The first was in May 2008 after a bank robber dropped what appeared to be an explosive device on the sidewalk in front of Hoosac Bank in North Adams. The device was detonated at the gravel bank off Curran Highway. Investigators believed the device was military-grade C4 based on images taken by the squad's robot.

The second time was this past December when a large black gym bag was spotted under Veterans Memorial Bridge. The squad took X-rays of the bag and cleared it as safe. It was full of dirty clothes and had been stolen from a local laundromat.

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Tuesday, April 12.

Tina Urban, 26, of Wilbraham had not guilty pleas entered on her behalf on single counts of trafficking in heroin and conspiracy to violate drug laws.

Urban was released on $1,000 cash or $10,000 surety bail. The charges stem from a motor vehicle stop in Richmond on Feb. 7.

Lawrence Taylor, 33, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on two counts of intimidation of a witness and two counts of threat to commit a crime: to wit: murder.

Taylor was released on personal recognizance on the condition that he have no contact with the alleged victims. It is alleged that Taylor threatened two witnesses in a pending criminal case on Jan. 2.

Glen Chadwell, 38, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on two counts of failing to register as a sex offender - his second offense.

Chadwell was released on $1,250 bail.

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Wednesday, April 13

Willie McNeil, 31, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of kidnapping, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, aggravated assault and battery and violation of a restraining order.

McNeil was given a suspended two and a half year sentence to the Berkshire County House of Correction on the assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon and violation of a restraining order. He was also placed on five years probation on the condition that he continues treatment with the Department of Mental Health, not live in Pittsfield and have no contact with the victim. The kidnapping and aggravated assault and battery charges were placed on file.

Additional charges of burning a dwelling house and armed assault with intent to murder were continues without a change of plea for five years. The charges stem from an incident on January, 23, 2010 involving a 28-year-old woman.