HAVERHILL — Police said an alert resident helped them catch a man who is charged with stealing at least 14 manhole covers from various streets in the city.
Donald Plourde, 28, of 127 How St., was arrested at 9:23 a.m. yesterday on Washington Street and charged with larceny of property valued at more than $250, driving after suspension of his license, and possession of heroin.
Plourde also was arrested on a warrant charging him with unlawfully carrying a weapon, receiving stolen property, distribution of a class A substance, and being present where heroin was found.
Starting Saturday, the city was hit with a rash of manhole cover thefts, police said. Mayor James Fiorentini said this can be an especially dangerous crime because of the risk of injury to drivers.
He said he encouraged police to make the investigation a priority.
Police Capt. Alan Ratte, head of detectives, said investigators got right to work.
"We developed some information from a neighbor," Ratte said, leading detectives to a suspect.
Yesterday morning, several detectives and patrolmen were on the lookout for Plourde, Ratte said. They also knew he had an outstanding warrant against him.
Detective John Spero found Plourde's dark green Chevrolet pickup truck on Washington Street near Washington Avenue. Spero pulled over the pickup truck and was joined by other officers, police said.
While searching Plourde and his vehicle, police said they found heroin. Court documents in the case indicated police also found receipts from a scrap metal yard in Everett indicating the covers were taken there and cashed in as scrap metal. The estimated worth of a manhole cover is $2,000, police said.
Ratte estimated each manhole covers weights about 200 pounds. According to his booking information, Plourde is 5 foot 7 inches and weighs 155 pounds. Ratte said the manhole covers were most likely lifted right into the back of a pickup truck, rather than carried for a long distance. Police said the covers were taken from Smiley Avenue, Emily Street, Hilldale Avenue and several streets in the Bradford section of the city.
Metal thefts are very common and manhole covers have become more popular with thieves lately.
A few weeks ago, two Haverhill men were charged with stealing manhole covers in Methuen.
Typically, metal thieves sell the metal at salvage yards, police have said. Copper pipes also are frequently stolen from vacant houses and construction sites.
Fiorentini said it's important for cities and towns to enact strict ordinances on the trading of metal. In Haverhill, he said, salvage companies are required to photograph the vehicles of everyone who sells them metal. Metal dealers also are required by city ordinance to record every item they buy and report it to the police.
"This makes it more difficult to 'fence' metal," Fiorentini said.
Other cities and towns should follow suit and adopt similar tough regulations, he said.
If residents notice manhole covers missing on their streets, they should call the Public Works Department at 978-374-2360, Fiorentini said.
Haverhill District Court Judge Stephen Abany ordered Plourde held at the Middleton jail in lieu of $1,500 cash bail. His case was continued until Sept. 30.
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