Thief allegedly stole wallet — leaving behind his birth certificate and a letter from his mother

By Todd Feathers, Globe Correspondent

A Southington, Conn., man who allegedly stole a woman’s clutch wallet in Dorchester left his birth certificate and a letter from his mother behind at the scene of the crime, making him an easy target for police, the Boston police said today.

Officers responded to the Harbor Middle School schoolyard at 11:54 p.m. Monday and spoke with a woman who said a man had followed her into the yard and then snatched her wallet, which contained her ID, Charlie Card, and $40 in cash, according to police.

In order to grab the wallet, the man allegedly dropped two bags he was holding and left them behind. Inside one of them was a birth certificate for Zachary Tentoni, 26, and a letter addressed to him from his mother, according to police.

Several hours later, officers stopped a man fitting the victim’s description of the alleged robber. The man told the officers he was John Foisy from Connecticut and that he was 20 years old, according to police.

The victim positively identified the man as the robber and the officers arrested him. They later confirmed that his real name was indeed Zachary Tentoni, according to police.

No information on his arraignment was immediately available.