By Jim Clark

Police responded to a Pearl St. residence last Thursday on reports of a larceny from a building. Somerville Police control advised the responding units that the suspect was a male in his twenties, small in size, wearing a blue hoodie with a black jacket over it, blue jeans and sneakers. The suspect was pushing a wheelbarrow, walking away from the victim’s house towards Pinckney Street then turned left onto Pinckney Place.

Upon arrival, officers observed several tools in the driveway and backyard of the Pearl Street residence, and three hinges were removed from a shed door.

Officers spoke with the reporting party, who stated that she saw the man exit the backyard of the residence in question.

Cunha was reportedly seen carrying several items and ran towards Pinckney Street, then came back again and left with more items.

Police then spoke with the victim, who stated that as he was leaving his house to go to work, he saw a man pushing a wheelbarrow full of tools out of his driveway. He confronted the man, and he took off running towards Pinckney Street. The witness said that he recognized the man from the neighborhood and stated that he had seen him before. At this time reporting party called Somerville Police and reported the incident.

The reporting party stated that the man the victim confronted outside his house is the same person she saw leave the victim’s house twice. She also observed that a second man was walking his dog – a German Shepherd – along Pinckney Place around the same time.

The victim believed that the suspect and the person walking the dog were brothers and were known to him.

Officers then went to a Pinckney Place residence where a German shepherd was found in the backyard. We made contact with the dog’s owner and asked him if other people were in the house. He reportedly stated that he lives in the basement and his brother, Daniel Cunha, lives on the second floor apartment with his mother.

Officers then made contact with Daniel Cunha and read both men their Miranda rights, after which both agreed to talk to them.

Daniel Cunha’s brother stated that he walked his dog around the victim’s house, and Daniel Cunha stated he walked by the house, pushing a dolly as he was trying to get some rocks and sand from one of the side streets.

Officers conducted a show-up identification but the victim was unable to identify the suspect, stating he was not sure.

At approximately 8:20 a.m., Somerville Police control received a call from the victim, stating that Daniel Cunha’s brother came to his house and reportedly told him that his brother Daniel stole tools from his shed and he would like to return them.

Police then returned to the Pinckney Place residence and was advised of his Miranda rights. Daniel Cunha stated he understood his rights and decided to waive them, according to police.

Cunha reportedly said that around 3:30 a.m. he went to the victim’s house. Using a screwdriver he removed the hinges off the shed door, and then loaded a wheelbarrow he found in the victim’s yard and transported the stolen items to his house.

Cunha also reportedly stated that he returned a second time using a dolly he retrieved from his back yard and removed several tools from the victim’s property.

Police also located a green Schwinn bicycle in the victim’s backyard. The victim was asked if the bicycle belonged to him and he stated that it did not. Officers asked Cunha about the bicycle and he reportedly stated that he took it from a different Pearl Street residence.

The tools, valued at approximately $1700, were recovered and returned to the victim.

Daniel Cunha was subsequently placed under arrest for breaking and entering and larceny over $250.