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by Bob_Ward from Dedham

Last Post 16 days, 17 hours Ago


Hockey players, hockey parents beware.

Thieves have been striking the Iorio Arena in Walpole at an alarming rate, and now Walpole Police are turning to Fox 25 for help.

Every weekend in July, thieves have been breaking into hockey bags at Iorio while teams are on the ice. They've gotten away with cash, ipods, credit cards, and cellphones.

Just last weekend, Iorio was home to a competition called the Chowder Cup. Players from across the USA and Canada spent the weekend in Walpole facing off against each other. And all the while, thieves were rifling their hockey bags. On Saturday, 15 players were hit, and the thieves got away with about two thousand dollars in cash.

Iorio Arena does provide locks and key for the locker rooms, but many times the doors are left unlocked. And when there's a big tournament, many hockey bags are stashed out of the way beneath the stands.

Iorio has installed a state of the art surveillance system, and the images of the suspects are crystal clear. On Monday night, Walpole police showed me the video and it is also clear that these thieves know exactly what they are doing. First off, dressed in t-shirts and shorts, they look like hockey players between matches. In one image, a thief is carrying a hockey bag and a stick.

Secondly, the thieves time their strikes to when the teams are on the ice. Once they are satisfied the players are elsewhere they swing into action.

Recently one stolen wallet belonging to a coach was discovered on Route 60 in Malden by a construction worker. Maybe this is a clue as to where the thieves are coming from?

The General Manager of Iorio is heartsick about what is happening. He has seen players of all ages victimized by the thieves and he has seen first hand what affect this betrayal has on these mostly young players.

Check out my story here. It contains the images from the surveillance cameras. If these guys are local, there's no question in my mind that someone will recognize them. The images are THAT clear.

If you recognize anyone, please call Walpole Police at 508.668.1212.

And if you are going to Iorio, or any other hockey rink, realize what is happening and secure your stuff.

Bob Ward
18 Comments |  Add a Comment

Member Comments Total Comments: 18
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Chip read my blog view my photos
Jul 29, 2008 | 5:57 AM

Stealing from guys with hockey sticks...how stupid!!!

NorthernObserver read my blog
Jul 29, 2008 | 6:54 AM

The rink is responsible for security if they provide the locks to the rooms. I suggest that they setup a sting operation. If they know the time of day that these thefts take place they should have a private detective service watch the monitors and catch the thieves in the act.

Short of that they need to post security guards outside the locker rooms.

TheEliteOne read my blog
Jul 29, 2008 | 1:54 PM

I agree with Northern. Who leaves 200 or so cash behind without knowing what type of security there is?

legendkiller34 read my blog
Jul 29, 2008 | 2:05 PM

Bob,
Instead of all the installing "high tech security"
What they should do is have a bunch of marked bills, in a bag or whatever, and just watch who comes and goes, then just stop the person and have them statetheir business for being at that spot, if the suspition is warented then have them show them the money.

legendkiller34 read my blog
Jul 29, 2008 | 2:05 PM

Bob,
Instead of all the installing "high tech security"
What they should do is have a bunch of marked bills, in a bag or whatever, and just watch who comes and goes, then just stop the person and have them statetheir business for being at that spot, if the suspition is warented then have them show them the money.

legendkiller34 read my blog
Jul 29, 2008 | 2:07 PM

Bob,
also they should probably check ex employees,
of that rink and surrounding rinks, these two apparently know the goings on of the ice rinks.
it's not like these two just drove by and said
"hey let's hit this"

Bob_Ward read my blog view my photos
Jul 29, 2008 | 2:55 PM

Hey Northern Observer,

The locker room doors at Iorio have locks on them and keys available at the front desk, but for whatever reason, some coaches aren't using them.

Maybe it's too difficult to keep track of the keys with all of the players coming and going?

And during the recent tournament many players stowed their bags in the hallway underneath the stands where there are no locks because the locker rooms were full.

It's a tough situation. But I don't want to let the thieves off the hook either. Those pictures are crystal clear, somebody is bound to know who they are.

BW

Bob_Ward read my blog view my photos
Jul 29, 2008 | 2:59 PM

Hi Elite One,

I agree there is more the players themselves can do to prevent getting ripped off.

But the players who lost a lot of money were from out of state and participating in a hockey tournament. It was all the money they had for the entire weekend.

Also, don't forget, it's not just cash that's taken. Ipods, cell phones, credit cards, all getting snapped up too.

The thing is that this isn't a one off crime. It's happening over and over again.

I'm hoping my story will a) remind people to better secure their stuff and b) lead to a positive ID and an arrest.

BW

BW

TheEliteOne read my blog
Jul 29, 2008 | 4:40 PM

Hi Bob:

I have spent a few hours at hockey rinks. This is not a new problem. There are enough relatives at these games, travelling ones as well, that parents can take turns watching the locker room. We used to do it. It is safer to leave things in the car trunk.

Question everyone coming near the locker room and take prisoners.

Happyg read my blog
Jul 29, 2008 | 7:32 PM

Theft from locker-rooms? Is this something new? I played hockey from the mid sixties to the end of the seventies and this problem was also prominent. Nothing new here, except it appears the kids are getting stupider. The cash goes in the skate, anything else of value is left with a responsible person or brought to the bench. May advice is target the 'rink rats". In my experience, it's usually them.

smiley73 read my blog view my photos
Jul 29, 2008 | 10:15 PM

HI Bob!
Saw your update a few mins ago .. NABBED! Way to go...
Smiley......

TheEliteOne read my blog
Jul 29, 2008 | 10:50 PM

Hey Bob: Way to go!! Way to nab that dirt bag.

Bob_Ward read my blog view my photos
Jul 29, 2008 | 11:29 PM

Thanks guys!

Three more to go

I'll be updating the blog in a minute

BW

TeacherMan
Jul 30, 2008 | 3:47 AM

Bob,
Like many other teens and young men in the Massachusetts, these guys were hitting the rinks because the are addicted to Oxycontin. They don't have the resources that good ol' Nick Kazcur has, thus they turn to this to keep from being dope sick. It's still no excuse for the crimes, but there is a larger picture here.

Happyg read my blog
Jul 30, 2008 | 7:08 AM

TeacherMan,
Theft is theft. It's been going on since the begining of time. The "bigger" picture is that these people are just thieves.

RandyD read my blog view my photos
Jul 30, 2008 | 9:57 AM

Nice job Bob!

Sooner or later we'll all appreciate "big brother" a little more. Getting these guys on video was GOLD. Fox bringing it out to the local public will deter this from happening more often. Kudos to you and Fox.

NorthernObserver read my blog
Jul 30, 2008 | 11:35 AM

TeacherMan,

You are trying to make excuses for this dirt bag. I do not care what kind of habit he has. He is stealing from children. He should go to jail and I hope he has a very bad time during withdrawal.

Nice job Bob! You got one of them. It should not matter if the bags were left at the front door with money hanging out of them. Good people do NOT steal from others. Bad people do and should go to jail.

TeacherMan
Jul 30, 2008 | 5:03 PM

I take it NEITHER of you read the part where I said 'it's still no excuse for the crime?' My point is a) $100,000 worth of stuff????? Gimme a break!!!What did people have in their bags, plasma TVs?? and b) these kids are former players themselves. This was their hockey 'community' that they stole from. The Oxy problem is what you should be doing a story on. These guys will get a slap on the wrist, and community service, but what gives with the proper help that they need?

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Bob_Ward

I am a reporter/anchor specializing in crime and regular features such as New England's Unsolved and Mass Most Wanted.

Member Since: 10/16/2006