Hamilton Police Bust Men Stealing Clothes From Donation Bins

HAMILTON, MA — A suspicious activity investigation in Hamilton led to the arrest of one man for breaking into a clothes donation bin and stealing hundreds of bags of clothes. Three men were caught in a U-Haul van filled with trash bags of donated clothes.

Early on Saturday morning, an officer started investigating the parking lot of the Hamilton Convenience Store on Bay Road after he noticed a U-Haul van with its cargo side doors open and parked up against a set of clothing donation bins. When the officer pulled up behind the van, the inside lights flicked off and the doors closed, police said.

The three men told police they were on their way home to Brockton from Beverly when they decided to donate a bag of clothes in Hamilton. Police said the men's story fell short after the van was opened, revealing hundreds of bags of donated clothes inside.

The driver, Manuel Louro of Brockton, was arrested and charged with driving without a license, impeded operation, breaking and entering of a depository, larceny over $1200 and conspiracy. He will be arraigned on Monday in Ipswich District Court.

The other two men will be summonsed into court to face charges at a later time.

Hamilton police said this is the second time in the past year where there has been an investigation in the middle of the night regarding clothes being stolen from the inside of a clothing donation bin. Police said there are several crews running this for-profit operation all the way from Nashua, NH down into Rhode Island.