New Bedford man arrested for series of car break-ins

May 5, 2020

A New Bedford man was arrested on May 4 and charged with breaking into a series of vehicles in the Bliss Corner neighborhood, according to a police department press release.

Michael Carreiro, 38, of New Bedford was taken into custody following three car break-ins in the area of St. John Street.

A local resident called police earlier that day after allegedly seeing a man break into his vehicles.

After arriving on scene, Officer Manuel DeMelo found a man matching the suspect’s description.

DeMelo learned while questioning the suspect that another vehicle in the area had also been broken into, and arrested Carreiro after an investigation.

Carreiro was charged with three counts of breaking and entering into a motor vehicle, three counts of larceny under $250, and one count of receiving stolen property under $1,200.

According to Police Chief Brian Levesque, car break-ins have been a continuous and ongoing problem for the police. 

“This arrest is the perfect example as to why we are repetitively encouraging citizens to immediately call us when they see someone suspicious in the area,” he stated.

As part of their “If you like it, lock it” campaign, Dartmouth Police encourage residents to lock their vehicles and warn against leaving valuables inside.

More tips can be found in a police video on how to avoid being a victim of a car break-in.