Kaitlin McKinley Becker

Police Arrest Suspect Who Allegedly Breaks Into Houses While Homeowners at Funerals, Wakes

Police have arrested a man they say is responsible for a series of break-ins in Barnstable, Massachusetts.

After several months of investigating multiple incidents, police say 35-year-old Randy Brunelle, of Plymouth, breaks into the homes of people attending the wake or funeral of a loved one who has recently died.

In 2012, Brunelle broke into a Sandwich police officer's mother's home while the officer was attending her funeral. Plymouth police tied Brunelle to that breaking and entering through a fingerprint left at the scene. Brunelle was found guilty and served 18 months in the Plymouth House of Correction.

Police allege Brunelle has been using the same method since his release, preying on people who are attending wakes and funerals of loved ones.

Authorities arrested Brunelle on Friday after Barnstable police were notified he was on Cape Cod. Detectives found his gray Honda Civic in Cotuit, and detectives pulled him over in Plymouth as he was headed home.

During the traffic stop, detectives found jewelry in the suspect's sweat shirt pockets.

Brunelle was arrested and brought back to the Cotuit home that had just been robbed.

When the homeowner returned from her mother's wake, she positively identified the jewelry as being stolen from her home.

Brunelle was charged with breaking and entering nighttime with intent to commit a felony. He was also charged with two counts of felony breaking and entering and larceny from a building regarding two separate house break-ins that occurred in September and December 2017 in Osterville while widows were attending funeral services for their late husbands.

Brunelle was released from the Barnstable Police Department on $5,000 bail.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday in Barnstable District Court.

It's unclear if Brunelle has an attorney.

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