The Pawtucket burglary ... was it all a Christmas scam?
Mike
Robbed Pawtucket veteran flooded with gifts
Police say Christopher Adamovich has stopped cooperating, as
investigation continues
12:32 PM EST on Thursday, December 24, 2009
By Kate Bramson and Amanda Milkovits
PAWTUCKET �� The Iraq war veteran who reported his Christmas presents
stolen Monday from under the tree in his new home said he was
overwhelmed by people who were upset to read of his misfortune and
planned to donate some of the gifts and all the cash to the McAuley
House in Providence, where he volunteered in his teens.
�No words can express what this means to me,� Christopher J. Adamovich
said Wednesday. �They�ve shown me that there are good people in this world.
�I�m just happy that I have a good Christmas to give to my kid and nephew.�
Video
The break-in remains under investigation, the police said.
Detective Donti Rosciti said Wednesday evening that Adamovich, 24, of
324 Glenwood Ave., had stopped cooperating and left the police station
while he and Detective David Silva were trying to question him further.
Adamovich said he had left the station because the officers had asked
him to report to the station to meet the governor, mayor and chief of
police, and grew frustrated when a friend of his overheard an officer
telling people who had gone to the police station to donate gifts that
Adamovich was trying to scam them.
Adamovich said he had received more than $8,000 in gifts and some $2,000
in cash. The 24-year-old, who is on a military pension and plans to
become a corrections officer at the Adult Correctional Institutions in
Cranston, awoke to find that people had slipped checks and gift cards
into his mailbox, said his mother, Cindy Benoit. An oil company came to
the home Wednesday morning, she said, and filled his tank after learning
the last oil in it had drained out when the thief or thieves left his
back door open after the break-in.
More than 60 people called The Journal wondering how they could help,
including a jeweler wanting to give Adamovich a diamond ring since the
$50 engagement ring he had wrapped for his fianc�e was among the gifts
stolen from under the tree. Others wanted to donate toys to his
girlfriend�s 3-year-old son and his sister�s 3-year-old son, both of
whom had presents waiting for them under the tree.
The Dupuis Oil Company came to the home and filled his tank with 100
gallons of oil, Adamovich said.
�People have been stopping by the house, bringing toys,� he said.
�People just want to help out.�
Benoit had called The Journal and a local television station early
Tuesday morning to tell reporters about the break-in at her son�s new
home. Pawtucket police Maj. Arthur Martins had confirmed the report of
the theft, and said the police were investigating.
Benoit said later that she didn�t tell her son she was going to call the
news media until after she had done so. Benoit said she couldn�t bear to
see her son so devastated by the theft.
He�s doing much, much better, she said. �It�s a 100-percent turnaround.�
Adamovich joined the Army National Guard and was a private first class.
He was in Iraq in 2004 to 2005 with the Louisiana National Guard in the
3-156th Infantry Battalion of the 256 Infantry Brigade Combat team, said
Staff Sgt. Denis Ricou, who handles media relations for the Louisiana
National Guard. He also received the Army Achievement Medal during that
deployment.
He was also deployed to Iraq in 2006 to 2007 with the Kansas National
Guard, where he served in the 714th Maintenance Co., which performed as
security forces, said Sharon Watson, public affairs director for the
Kansas National Guard. Adamovich received two Purple Hearts when he was
wounded in February and March 2007. He also received the Combat Action
Badge and an Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service during that
deployment.
Adamovich said he was injured in explosions, which broke bones and tore
an ear, diminishing his hearing.
Before being deployed, he�d worked in fundraising for the Fraternal
Order of Police, his mother said. He said he is waiting to join the
academy to become a corrections officer at the ACI.
Adamovich had been arrested in June for disorderly conduct for
threatening his landlord at a previous address; he pleaded no contest
and the charge was filed.
In August, he allowed a friend to move into his new house, which the
police raided mid-month. They charged the friend and a woman who was at
the house with possession of cocaine and anabolic steroids, and
possession of cocaine and heroin with intent to deliver, as well as
maintaining a narcotics nuisance.
Adamovich was also arrested, and charged with possession of fireworks
and steroids � those charges have still not been signed by the attorney
general�s office, which is necessary for a case to go forward. Martins
said Wednesday that the case is still under investigation, and officials
are awaiting a toxicology report. He said Adamovich was charged because
the steroids were found in a common area, a refrigerator, and as the
homeowner Adamovich should have known about them.
Adamovich told a reporter on Wednesday that the drugs did not belong to
him and that his friend had admitted the steroids were his.
His friend, Rocco Tetreault, 24, currently being held at the ACI
awaiting trial, had told the police at the time of the arrest that the
drugs were Tetreault�s, according to the police report.
The Journal was aware of the charges against Adamovich, though not of
those against his friends, before Wednesday�s article was printed. It
did not include them in the story because they didn�t seem connected to
the theft, and because the attorney general hadn�t signed the fireworks
and steroids charges.
CalC
> http://www.projo.com/news/content/iraq_vet_christmas_follow_12-24-09_...
>
> Robbed Pawtucket veteran flooded with gifts
> Police say Christopher Adamovich has stopped cooperating, as
> investigation continues
> 12:32 PM EST on Thursday, December 24, 2009
> By Kate Bramson and Amanda Milkovits
>
> stolen Monday from under the tree in his new home said he was
> overwhelmed by people who were upset to read of his misfortune and
> planned to donate some of the gifts and all the cash to the McAuley
> House in Providence, where he volunteered in his teens.
>
> said Wednesday. “They’ve shown me that there are good people in this world.
>
> “I’m just happy that I have a good Christmas to give to my kid and nephew.”
> Video
>
> The break-in remains under investigation, the police said.
>
> Detective Donti Rosciti said Wednesday evening that Adamovich, 24, of
> 324 Glenwood Ave., had stopped cooperating and left the police station
> while he and Detective David Silva were trying to question him further.
>
> Adamovich said he had left the station because the officers had asked
> him to report to the station to meet the governor, mayor and chief of
> police, and grew frustrated when a friend of his overheard an officer
> telling people who had gone to the police station to donate gifts that
> Adamovich was trying to scam them.
>
> Adamovich said he had received more than $8,000 in gifts and some $2,000
> in cash. The 24-year-old, who is on a military pension and plans to
> become a corrections officer at the Adult Correctional Institutions in
> Cranston, awoke to find that people had slipped checks and gift cards
> into his mailbox, said his mother, Cindy Benoit. An oil company came to
> the home Wednesday morning, she said, and filled his tank after learning
> the last oil in it had drained out when the thief or thieves left his
> back door open after the break-in.
>
> More than 60 people called The Journal wondering how they could help,
> including a jeweler wanting to give Adamovich a diamond ring since the
> stolen from under the tree. Others wanted to donate toys to his
> whom had presents waiting for them under the tree.
>
> The Dupuis Oil Company came to the home and filled his tank with 100
> gallons of oil, Adamovich said.
>
> “People just want to help out.”
>
> Benoit had called The Journal and a local television station early
> home. Pawtucket police Maj. Arthur Martins had confirmed the report of
> the theft, and said the police were investigating.
>
> news media until after she had done so. Benoit said she couldn’t bear to
> see her son so devastated by the theft.
>
>
> Adamovich joined the Army National Guard and was a private first class.
>
> He was in Iraq in 2004 to 2005 with the Louisiana National Guard in the
> 3-156th Infantry Battalion of the 256 Infantry Brigade Combat team, said
> Staff Sgt. Denis Ricou, who handles media relations for the Louisiana
> National Guard. He also received the Army Achievement Medal during that
> deployment.
>
> He was also deployed to Iraq in 2006 to 2007 with the Kansas National
> Guard, where he served in the 714th Maintenance Co., which performed as
> security forces, said Sharon Watson, public affairs director for the
> Kansas National Guard. Adamovich received two Purple Hearts when he was
> wounded in February and March 2007. He also received the Combat Action
> Badge and an Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service during that
> deployment.
>
> Adamovich said he was injured in explosions, which broke bones and tore
> an ear, diminishing his hearing.
>
> Order of Police, his mother said. He said he is waiting to join the
> academy to become a corrections officer at the ACI.
>
> Adamovich had been arrested in June for disorderly conduct for
> threatening his landlord at a previous address; he pleaded no contest
> and the charge was filed.
>
> In August, he allowed a friend to move into his new house, which the
> police raided mid-month. They charged the friend and a woman who was at
> the house with possession of cocaine and anabolic steroids, and
> possession of cocaine and heroin with intent to deliver, as well as
> maintaining a narcotics nuisance.
>
> Adamovich was also arrested, and charged with possession of fireworks
> general’s office, which is necessary for a case to go forward. Martins
> said Wednesday that the case is still under investigation, and officials
> are awaiting a toxicology report. He said Adamovich was charged because
> the steroids were found in a common area, a refrigerator, and as the
> homeowner Adamovich should have known about them.
>
> Adamovich told a reporter on Wednesday that the drugs did not belong to
> him and that his friend had admitted the steroids were his.
>
> His friend, Rocco Tetreault, 24, currently being held at the ACI
> awaiting trial, had told the police at the time of the arrest that the
>
> The Journal was aware of the charges against Adamovich, though not of
> did not include them in the story because they didn’t seem connected to
> the theft, and because the attorney general hadn’t signed the fireworks
> and steroids charges.
Sure does sound fishy the not cooperating part.....I can also tell you
you can turn on the AC AND leave the door open and you'll only burn so
much oil. The furnace wont burn "hotter than full power" because it's
cold. There is a max output and if he ran out of oil I have to think
there was not as much in there as he claimed.....The oil company
should have been able to make that reasonable determination as to how
much was left based on historical usage numbers.....That would help
IMHO to determine how on the up and up he is being.
Mike
> Sure does sound fishy the not cooperating part.....I can also tell you
> you can turn on the AC AND leave the door open and you'll only burn so
> much oil. The furnace wont burn "hotter than full power" because it's
> cold. There is a max output and if he ran out of oil I have to think
> there was not as much in there as he claimed.....The oil company
> should have been able to make that reasonable determination as to how
> much was left based on historical usage numbers.....That would help
> IMHO to determine how on the up and up he is being.
It's definitely FISHY, Cal, VERY FISHY.
There are multiple red flags up ...
Anon7
news:hh4av4$ocr$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
It seems you're often right on detecting scams, Mike. Yet, in my naivety, I
think he could have been low on oil anyway, and mentioned this in a way
which underscored the bad week he had.
The rest of his story sounded plausible.
Didn't he also say that he was going to donate all the cash to McAuley
House?
--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ne...@netfront.net ---
Bill Walsh
have another story about someone breaking in his house and stealing the
cash..call me skeptical..
"Anon7" <a...@b.com> wrote in message
news:hh55sq$10b6$1...@adenine.netfront.net...
clams_casino
> Saying he would donate the cash doesn't make it so..next week he'll
> probably have another story about someone breaking in his house and
> stealing the cash..call me skeptical..
He seemed to know exactly what was "stolen". I wonder if he can provide
receipts for any of the missing items?
Mike
Iraq war veteran donates some gifts to McAuley House
01:00 AM EST on Wednesday, December 30, 2009
By Amanda Milkovits
PROVIDENCE � The Iraq war veteran who�d received $2,000 in cash and many
gifts from people moved by his story of a housebreak just before
Christmas has donated some of the money and gifts to the McAuley House.
On Tuesday, Christopher Adamovich gave the Elmwood charity $1,400 and
some of the toys he�d received a week ago, after his report of Christmas
gifts stolen from his new home in Pawtucket grabbed media attention and
some public sympathy.
Strangers tracked Adamovich down to his Glenwood Avenue house and filled
his oil tank, stuffed money in his mailbox and his hands, and left toys
for his fianc�e�s 3-year-old son and his 3-year-old nephew. Adamovich
said he gave about two-thirds of the gifts to the boys, and donated the
rest.
Along with giving money and gifts, Adamovich put on an apron on Tuesday
and helped serve the people coming in for the weekday meals. Adamovich
said he�d worked for the charity when he lived nearby on Potters Avenue
when he was a teenager.
The McAuley House provides meals and hospitality for the hungry and
needy, serving up to 300 people a day, said the Rev. Mary Margaret Earl,
the administrator. The McAuley House also offers services including
rental assistance, clothing, and referrals for the needy.
At a cost of $2 a meal, Adamovich�s donation will stretch. The toys will
be distributed on Martin Luther King Day, she said.
�We�re always happy for donations,� said Earl. �This is how we survive.�
Although saying he didn�t want more publicity, Adamovich said he called
The Journal to let the newspaper know about his donation to McAuley
House �to clear up misconceptions of me.� Last week, the Pawtucket
police said Adamovich was not cooperating with the investigation, after
he walked out of the police station during questioning.
Adamovich became angry on Tuesday as he talked about the interviews with
the police and the way he said they�d treated him.
He said he didn�t want the police to continue their investigation into
the break-in at his house.
�It was an unfortunate event,� Adamovich said, before cutting The
Journal�s interview short. �I wish the police would leave me alone.�
Pawtucket police Lt. Daniel Mullen said the investigation is ongoing.