With help from victim, police track down thief

Riverside man facing larceny charge in Barrington

Posted 8/1/17

Barrington police partnered with a Rumstick Road resident to help nab the man who stole a wallet and purse from her car late last month.

The incident occurred at about 3:40 a.m. on Sunday, July …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


With help from victim, police track down thief

Riverside man facing larceny charge in Barrington

Posted

Barrington police partnered with a Rumstick Road resident to help nab the man who stole a wallet and purse from her car late last month.

The incident occurred at about 3:40 a.m. on Sunday, July 23. Police said a thin man wearing a t-shirt, shorts, a baseball cap and a scarf entered a Rumstick Road resident's vehicle while it was parked outside the home and removed the purse and wallet. The man pulled the scarf over his face when entering the car and used his shirt to wipe fingerprints off the vehicle. 

A surveillance camera outside the home captured the incident, and the resident shared the video footage with police. She also contacted police a few days later when she noticed that someone had just listed her purse for sale on craigslist. She could tell it was her purse because there was a stain on the inside of the purse from where an energy bar had melted.

Police worked to track down the individual who posted the item for sale, and then posed as a potential buyer. An officer offered to meet with the seller, 20-year-old Riverside resident Nicky Buonanno, to buy the purse. They agreed to meet in the Barrington Shopping Center on Thursday, July 27.

Police said that when Mr. Buonanno arrived in the shopping center, two officers apprehended him. Another officer sat inside an unmarked police car nearby with the Rumstick Road resident, who positively identified Mr. Buonanno as the individual who had stolen the items from her car. 

Police also spoke to the young man who had driven Mr. Buonanno to the shopping center, but he denied having known what Mr. Buonanno had been involved with.

Police charged Mr. Buonanno with larceny under $1,500. 

Barrington Police Chief John LaCross said Mr. Buonanno admitted to the crime; he told police it was the first time he had ever done anything like that. He reportedly told police he had been out with some friends on the night of the incident when they decided to break into the car.

Police said Mr. Buonanno entered one car at the Rumstick Road residence on July 23 and tried to enter a second car, but the vehicle was locked. 

It was not clear if any other vehicles in town had been broken into that evening.

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.