The following is a summary of the details related to this incident.

On Tuesday, May 3, 2022, I, Officer David Ruf, was in full-uniform and assigned to marked cruiser East-1, for the Somerville Police Department. At approximately 2:32 A.M., Officer N. Moreira (East-4) and I were dispatched to XX Minnesota Ave for a person breaking into motor vehicles. Officer P. Canty (East-3) also responded as backup.

While en route to the area, Somerville Dispatch informed units that the suspect was walking up Minnesota Ave heading towards Broadway. Somerville Dispatch also informed units that he was wearing all black and carrying a backpack.

As I was arriving in the area and turning onto Minnesota Ave from Broadway, I encountered that party, later identified as CHRISTIAN MERCEDES, matching that description. I immediately exited my cruiser to speak with MERCEDES to ask him where he was coming from. He stated that he was walking down the street and when asked if he was in anyones yard, he stated that he was just taking a piss. It should be noted that MERCEDES pockets were all bulging as if items were just stuffed into them. MERCEDES kept denying going into any vehicles and kept stating he just wanted to go home. He stated that he was coming from Davis Square, but he missed the last bus so he was walking home towards Everett. During the interaction with MERCEDES he was fidgety and kept moving around, because of this, I placed him in handcuffs for officer safety and padded him down for any weapons. Due to his pockets being so bulgy, some items had to be removed from his pockets to properly clear them.

I then made my way to speak with the reporting party, later identified as XXXX, who stated the following; he was alerted via a camera app on his phone at approximately 2:00 A.M., that there was some motion in his drive way. On camera you can see MERCEDES checking the door handle to his vehicle. Mr. Mercedes then leaves his drive way and checks another vehicle’s handle parked next to his house. Mr. XXXX at this time is looking out his window and watching what MERCEDES is doing. He observed MERCEDES walk in the general area of his house and then get into a black Dodge Ram pickup truck and then exit the vehicle a short time later. He then observed MERCEDES walk down Minnesota Ave going into a back yard under construction. He then observed him walk onto Pennsylvania Ave and then he returned to Minnesota Ave heading towards Broadway.

I then spoke with the owner of the pickup truck, XXXX, who stated the following; his vehicle was parked in front of his house and it was unlocked. When officers alerted him that his vehicle was broken into and asked to check to see if anything was missing, he realized that a check for $5,000 was missing along with some loosing scratch tickets.

Inside MERCEDES bulging pockets was the loosing scratch tickets and the check for $5,000 made out to XXXX. Also in MERCEDES pockets were two coin purses with $11 in one and $31.54 in the other. Also loose bills and coins totaling $197.25 along with eight pairs of headphones and a watch.

At this time based upon the evidence and statements made, I placed MERCEDES under arrest for the following;

M.G.L c266/ §16 B and E of a Vehicle Night time for a Felony

M.G.L c274/ §6 Attempt to Commit a Crime

He was transported by Unit #200, Officer Rivera, to the Somerville Police Headquarters where he was booked by Lt. Shackelford.
The check belonging to Mr. XXXX was photographed and returned to him. Also the loosing scratch tickets belonging to Mr. XXXX, but he wished for them to be thrown away. All other items that were in MERCEDES pockets were logged into evidence.

Respectfully submitted,
Officer David Ruf #334
Somerville Police Department