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Neighbor in Newton helps police catch thief

NEWTON, Mass. — Nonantum is a tight-knit community and safe part of Newton. So, neighbors noticed when something was out of place at 26 Cook St.

“When there is someone strange in the neighborhood…we will call each other and say, ‘hey who’s this,’ or we will call the police,” said Terry Sauro, who lives up the street and heads up the Nonantum Neighborhood Association.

On Monday night a man on a bike caught the attention of Matt Richter.

“He was on this property over here and he came in a bike, it seems pretty obvious that he wasn’t a construction worker,” Richter said.

Matt used his phone to snap several pictures of 53-year-old Gene Jackson Jr. of Dorchester. And another neighbor called police.

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“We always tell the public, if you see something say something; be your eyes and ears, and last night it couldn’t have worked any better,” said Lt. Bruce Apotheker of the Newton Police Department.

When police arrived, Jackson was on his bike and neighbors had just seen him break into the home at 26 Cook St. that’s being renovated by an Asian couple. There have been several break-ins recently involving Asian homeowners, but police don’t think Jackson was involved in that recent rash of burglaries.

“We feel confident in saying last night that the person who broke into the home last night on Cook Street is not involved with any of the other homes that were broken into owned by Asians,” Lt. Apotheker said.

It was just neighbors like Matt Richter watching out for each other.

“Yeah, he definitely seemed like he was up to no good. We’re all doing our part,” Richter said.

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