Published in the April 27, 2017 edition
Police arrested a 19 year old town resident over the weekend and charged him with stealing a dirt bike that was advertised for sale online. (Al Pereira/Advanced Photo)
NORTH READING – North Reading Police arrested a 19-year old town resident who allegedly attempted to steal a dirt bike and led them on a short pursuit Saturday afternoon.
North Reading Police told the Transcript that a caller reported the theft of a 2006 Honda CRF 250R dirt bike during what was supposed to be a private sale transaction for the bike. A local resident and his 15 year old grandson reportedly made arrangements for the transaction with a man who identified himself to them as “Chris Jones” and who was supposed to meet them on Lowell Road. The two had been using the online classifieds app “letgo” to try to arrange the sale. “Jones” reportedly agreed to pay $2,800 for the bike, and arranged to pick it up at an address on Lowell Road. Upon arrival, the suspect allegedly received permission to take the bike for a test drive on a nearby field. The suspect then apparently claimed he was asking his brother to come see the bike – and when the brother never showed up, “Jones” asked if he could ride the bike to his brother’s apartment to get his money. From there, the suspect allegedly abruptly got on the bike and fled east onto Lowell Road.
North Reading Police received multiple calls from that point about a male with red goggles operating the dirt bike around the Park Street, Freedom Drive and Winter Street area. The suspect was first observed on Park Street West, and he allegedly failed to stop for an officer who had positioned his car across the middle of the road. The suspect also allegedly failed to stop for a second officer who had positioned his cruiser in the middle of the 300 Park Street vicinity. From there, the dirt bike reportedly traveled into the Cota’s Funeral Home parking lot on Park Street, went over a curb into the Dunkin Donuts parking lot and eventually wound up in the Eastgate Liquors parking lot on Main Street, where police came in from both entrances and converged on the suspect.
Police charged Kyle Hodge, 19, 111 Lowell Road, North Reading with Use Without Authority, a Marked Lanes Violation, Unlicensed Operation, and Failure to Stop for Police.
