Cape Cod 'Obit Bandit' Indicted: Report

BARNSTABLE, MA — An individual that Cape Cod police dubbed the "obit bandit" could soon face a trial. Randy Brunelle, 35, of Plymouth, was arrested in February after police said he scanned obituaries and targeted homes of the recently deceased, widows and relatives for robbery on Cape Cod and Plymouth. Brunelle was recently indicted on breaking and entering an larceny charges in Barnstable County Superior Court, according to the Cape Cod Times. An indictment means a trial is warranted based on evidence in the case.

In 2012, Brunelle was convicted of a similar crime when he broke into the Plymouth home of a Sandwich police officer's mother during her funeral. He served 18 months in prison in that case.

Barnstable police said they arrested Brunelle again in February during a sting after they received a report of his presence on the Cape.

"Detectives then spotted Brunelle's gray Honda Civic in Cotuit and began to follow it, while other detectives fanned out to possible locations of relatives attending funeral services in the Barnstable area," Barnstable police said in a statement. "Detectives quickly discovered a house break at an address in Cotuit and Brunelle's vehicle was subsequently pulled over by detectives in Plymouth as he was headed to his home. After conducting the motor vehicle stop, Barnstable Detectives located jewelry in Brunelle's sweat shirt pockets."

Police said he broke into the home of a recently deceased Barnstable woman during her wake and stole the jewelry.

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Photo: Randy Brunell's mugshot following his arrest in Barnstable February 9, 2018, after police said he broke into the home of a recently deceased Barnstable woman during her wake. (Credit: Barnstable Police Department)