Residents who live in the area of Old River Road in Barrington held a special neighborhood meeting last weekend, following a house break-in and an attempted house break-in.

Barrington police received a call a little before 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 25, for a break-in on Frederick Drive. The resident told police it appeared someone cut a window screen on the first floor and entered the home. The resident said he heard a noise around 4:30 a.m. and went downstairs to check it out, but did not see anything out of place. Later that morning, the resident and his family discovered the damaged window screen in the bathroom and dirt atop the toilet. The residents also realized someone had removed cash from their wallets.

Also on Wednesday morning, a Belton Drive resident called police to report video evidence of a man attempting to enter the home. Surveillance cameras captured footage of a tall, thin white man on the property.

Barrington police alerted surrounding police departments to the situation — East Providence police told Barrington that they arrested a man recently who matched the description of the suspect in town. 

Barrington Police Chief Michael Correia said East Providence Police arrested Dakota Cronin, 27, of that town, and charged him with injuring or tampering with a vehicle, and possession of an illegal knife. An East Providence Police officer driving an unmarked car located Mr. Cronin walking around during the early morning hours a couple days after the Barrington break-in. Mr. Cronin had allegedly been going through cars in East Providence. Chief Correia said Mr. Cronin had prior arrests for tampering with vehicles in Portsmouth and larcenies in Smithfield. 

Vehicle stolen

Early Monday morning, Aug. 30, a Kyle Street resident called Barrington Police to report a stolen vehicle. The resident said her 2019 Ford Edge was stolen from the driveway during the overnight hours; it had been left unlocked.

Barrington Police entered the stolen vehicle information into the state database system and shortly thereafter received a call from Warren Police alerting them to three suspicious individuals who had been spotted walking toward Barrington at about 3 a.m. Warren police had stopped to question the individuals and gotten their names.

Police said the video surveillance from the home where the vehicle was stolen shows three individuals involved in the crime.

Barrington police are investigating.