2 suspected in golf club thefts
Brookline case leads to arrest
BROOKLINE - A man and woman from Charlestown suspected of breaking into several area country clubs were being held after pleading not guilty to charges in connection with a burglary at a Brookline golf course last week.
According to the Brookline Police Department, Caitlin Durette, 24, and Brian Howell, 39, were arrested on Sept. 22, after police were called to investigate a break-in on Clyde Street at The Country Club, the nation’s oldest country club and one of the five founding clubs of what became the United States Golf Association .
A Brookline police spokesman was not immediately available last night to provide further information, and staff at The Country Club declined to comment. According to the Brookline Tab, Durette and Howell were arrested at their homes.
Arlington police Lieutenant Robert Bongiorno said Howell and Durette were possible suspects in a break-in at Winchester Country Club in Arlington on Sept. 11; and the pair was being investigated by Arlington, Cambridge, Belmont, and Lexington police in connection with break-ins at other area pro shops.
The Brookline Tab reported that the couple is suspected of hitting 13 clubs in the past six months. Bongiorno did not know the exact number of break-ins, but he said area club owners had alerted one another by e-mail about shop burglaries.
Winchester Country Club’s owner told police that 47 putters worth a total $5,000 were missing along with other clubs and golf balls after the shop door’s window was smashed.
The night before the suspects were arrested, Brookline police responded to a break-in at Putterham Golf Clubhouse of Brookline’s Robert T. Lynch Municipal Golf Course, according to the department’s online blog.
“Upon arrival, police discovered golf balls in the driveway,’’ the blog states. “Police found a smashed window at the front door of the shop. Several boxes of golf balls were found lying on the floor.’’
Jack Neville, director of golf at the Brookline municipal course, estimated about $1,000 worth of clubs and balls were stolen.
“They’ve got to be really desperate to break in here,’’ he said. “We don’t have a lot of clubs or higher-end clubs.’’
Additionally, Neville added, “when the alarm goes off here, you have to cover your ears it’s so loud. I’d imagine they weren’t in here more than a minute or two.’’
Durette and Howell each plead not guilty to charges relating to the Sept. 22 break-in.
They were arraigned at Brookline District Court a day after their arrest on single counts of breaking and entering at nighttime, larceny of property valued at more than $250, and possession of burglarious tools, according to Norfolk district attorney spokesman David Traub. Durette’s bail was revoked because of a prior case and Howell had not posted bail as of yesterday, Traub said. Both are scheduled to appear in court for pretrial hearing on Oct. 22.
