Second Suspect in Car Larcenies Apprehended

A second man has been charged in connection with a string of larcenies from motor vehicles in western Cranston.

Police said Nicholas Loverdi, 20, of 66 Rocky Point Drive, Warwick, was arrested in Warwick and charged with the same offenses as Ronald Burr, 18, of 212 Sandly Lane, Warwick, who was arrested early Saturday morning after a foot pursuit.

According to police, officers were notified of a larceny from a motor vehicle in progress at 1261 Phenix Ave. at around 4:30 a.m. An alert neighbor spotted two suspects fleeing the scene and relayed their descriptions to police. The driver, later identified as Burr, was wearing a striped shirt and gloves. His passenger, Loverdi, was wearing a white shirt pulled over his head.

Officers Wayne DeCosta and Jeremy Machado were in the area and within moments DeCosta saw the minivan speed past on Phenix Avenue.

Palombo said additional patrols had been assigned to the area after a rash of similar incidents in the neighborhood.

The vehicle approached the 500 block of Phenix Avenue when it "slowed very quickly indicating that the occupants were about to flee on foot," said Cranston Police Chief Marco Palombo Jr.

The vehicle then stopped suddenly and the occupants jumped out. The driver forgot to put the minivan in park and it rolled into a car parked in the driveway of 558 Phenix Ave.

DeCosta gave chase and quickly apprehending Burr. Police subsequently found unlawful prescription drugs and marijuana in his possession.

Officers also discovered that the minivan was reported stolen the day before in North Kingstown.

A search of the area turned up a backpack full of GPS units, change and other items "normally stolen from motor vehicles," Palombo said.

Police were able to identify several owners of the stolen items. Police concluded that at least eight cars had been broken into.

All told, Burr was charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, eight counts of larceny from a motor vehicle, receiving stolen goods, conspiracy to commit larceny, marijuana possession and eluding a police officer.