By Jim Clark

Somerville Housing Public Safety investigators received a complaint by a driver for the Russell Disposal Company of a theft from the cab of his truck while he was working the 15-45 Memorial Road area last week.

The man stated that the passenger side door was open while he and his partner were working with dumpsters behind the truck. When he returned to the cab area to operate the lift devices he noticed that his backpack was missing, according to reports.

Somerville Housing Authority investigators then examined videotapes taken in the area and spotted the incident in question and reportedly observed a young male taking something from the truck. The young man, a juvenile, was known to the investigators from prior incidents, authorities say.

According to investigators, a visit to the suspect’s home yielded no results, but one officer remembered that the young man had a history of frequenting the Healey School area. A search was conducted at the school and the suspect was found, hanging out with a small group of teens. They were all reportedly sharing pizza.

As Somerville Housing Police officers approached the young man he was reportedly observed trying to pass what appeared to be a large amount of cash along with some plastic cards. The suspect was ordered to stop and put the items back into his pockets as officers approached the kids, according to reports. The young man was immediately taken into custody.

In all, $600 and three credit cards were reported as being in the stolen backpack. It was later confirmed that one of the victim’s credit cards had been used to order pizza, with the delivery person reportedly identifying the suspect as the one having used the card, police said.

The perpetrator was charged with forgery of a document, utter false instrument, credit card fraud under $250, credit card larceny, felony breaking and entering of a truck, and larceny over $250.