'Willy Wonka' Among Those Charged For Needham Break-Ins

NEEDHAM, MA — Three incidents in Needham were investigated as part of Operation Golden Ticket and have led to the arrest of five people connected to the incidents.

Needham's connection to the operation involves a pair of Feb. 9 break-ins at the Dunkin' Donuts located on Great Plain Avenue and G.T. Arbuckle gas station. Some of the items taken included the ATM and cash drawers from the Dunkin Donuts as well as the cash drawer from Arbuckle’s totaling approximately $3,600, according to police. It was determined the suspects stole a Jeep Cherokee from Waltham and then forcibly entered Dunkin Donuts and Arbuckle’s. The Jeep was later recovered in Newton with the ATM still inside.

On March 31, police responded to an alarm at the Speedway gas station on Highland Avenue. Police initially found nothing out of place, but while searching the area, encountered a Jeep Cherokee occupied by three masked individuals. After driving directly at the marked Needham cruiser a pursuit ensued up Route 128, police said. The suspects were able to evade capture and the stolen Jeep was located again in Newton not far from where it was last scene. Through the course of the investigation it quickly became clear the suspects were responsible for an on-going criminal enterprise across much of New England including Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

A joint investigation into regional ATM thefts resulted in 176 indictments from a Essex County Grand Juty and the arrests of William "Willy Wonka" Rodriguez, Chepiel "Chep" Sanchez, Nelson "Pito" Rodriguez, Ignacio "Iggy" Duran, and Marilyn Santiago. Following that, 168 indictments were handed down, alleging habitual offender sentence enhancements for Wonka, Sanchez, Nelson and Duran, police said.

The investigation included work with the Massachusetts State Police and several local agencies.

Image Credit: Dan Libon/Patch