Break-in suspect nabbed

Police stay arrest breaks streak of 30 robberies

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - State police have arrested a man they believe to have been involved in more than 30 burglaries spanning Hampshire and Franklin counties and parts of Vermont.

William Goly, 34, of New Salem, pleaded innocent Monday in Greenfield District Court to charges of breaking and entering a building during the daytime to commit a felony, larceny over $250, using a motor vehicle to commit a felony and possession of cocaine.

According to Trooper Adam Mathieu of the Northampton barracks, at 3 p.m. on June 3, state police responded to Chestnut Plain Road in Whately for a report that an elderly woman and her two grandchildren had returned home and interrupted two burglars who were ransacking the residence.

Although the two men managed to escape out the back door of the house and sped away across the woman's front lawn, Mathieu said, she was able to record the license plate and told police it belonged to a red Ford Escort wagon.

The description of the men, the items they targeted and the vehicle they were driving, Mathieu said, was an almost identical match to those described in many other unsolved incidents in the area.

"They seemed to be going after jewelry, loose cash, firearms, big-screen televisions and assorted other electronic items, and they tried to pry open every safe they came across." Mathieu said. "The description seemed to match up in many different locations."

After searching for the car for two days, Mathieu said state police located the vehicle Saturday afternoon, when Goly was allegedly involved in a road rage incident in Greenfield.

"We found him because of an incident with a pedestrian," Mathieu said. "A mother was walking her child near the street and she jumped out to tell him to slow down because he was screeching his tires, and he ended up getting into a verbal confrontation with her and a whole slew of other things."

When police arrived on the scene, Goly reportedly fled from his vehicle and was apprehended by state police after a short foot pursuit.

Mathieu said Vermont State Police suspect Goly has been involved in a series of break-ins in southern Vermont and he is also wanted in connection with 20 or 30 other break-ins across both Franklin and Hampshire counties.

The search for the missing items and the second suspect, Mathieu said, is ongoing and he is urging area residents to remember to secure their homes when they are left unattended.

"They seem to be going house to house and they have been finding and breaking into a lot of houses that are not secured properly," Mathieu said. "People should remember to lock their doors."

Judge Laurie MacLeod ordered Goly held on $5,000 cash bail and Mathieu said he is currently being housed at the Franklin County Jail and House of Correction in Greenfield.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.