BILLERICA, Mass. -- An alleged five-state larceny spree ended Monday when a firefighter was able to catch two thieves, because he kept his eyes and ears open.
Thirty-year veteran Bobby Knight was sitting in the fire-prevention car when he heard the police dispatcher announce a search for men in a silver Buick Rainier. Almost immediately, he saw the wanted car leave the Billerica Mall.
Knight called the police and tailed the car until authorities arrived.
Charles Washington, 34, and his nephew Rashene Washington, 31, both of Dorchester, face fifteen charges of uttering forged documents and larceny for buying merchandise with counterfeit American Express checks in Billerica. The two were arrested carrying over $3,000 in fake travelers and gift checks plus $2,000 in merchandise, police said.
Police arrested alleged accomplice Demetrius Whitney, 29, of Roslindale, at the North Billerica train station. Whitney's cab driver became suspicious when Whitney repeatedly asked to go straight to Boston after the cab passed the detained Buick.
The three men logged 1,700 miles passing bad checks in four other New England states, police said. Crossing state lines to commit a crime is a federal offense.
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