SALISBURY — The last of five suspects involved in last month's home invasion and baseball bat beating at a Salisbury home has been arrested, police said yesterday.
Jose Santana, 19, whose last known address was 34 Vine St., Haverhill, was arrested in Nashua, N.H., Thursday about 10 p.m., Salisbury police Chief David L'Esperance said. He was tracked down by Trooper John Strazzullo, with help from Salisbury detectives Anthony King and Mark Thomas. He was arrested as he ran from one apartment to another, according to state police.
Santana has been sought by police since a July 17 home invasion at a Seabrook Road house. The man had invited two women — whom he had met previously — into his house, and minutes later, Santana and two other men entered the home wearing ski masks and beat a man with a baseball bat, police said. The man escaped, and a neighbor called police.
Police caught up with the two women and two of the men, but Santana remained at-large. L'Esperance credited the detectives' work and assistance of state police and several other law enforcement agencies in tracking down Santana.
He faces charges of home invasion, armed assault to rob, and assault with a dangerous weapon, a baseball bat. He also had three outstanding warrants for his arrest; two from Haverhill and one from Peabody.
L'Esperance emphasized that the attack was not random.
"The facts will show that it was planned and executed with that address in mind for the specific reason to rob for drugs and money," he said. "These criminals were operating all over the North Shore area and possibly out of state."
