Boscawen Man Accused Of Stealing A Car In Nashua, Returning It, And Then, Stealing A Different Car

NASHUA, NH — A man from the capital region with several prior convictions was arrested last month on burglary and theft charges, accused of stealing a car and then returning it before stealing a different one.

Kenneth Blankenship, 43, of Boscawen, was arrested on June 22 on theft by unauthorized taking-$1,501-plus and burglary charges, both felonies.

On Nov. 30, 2024, police were dispatched to a report of a burglary at a local auto dealership, with the business saying a car stolen during the incident, according to Sgt. John Cinelli, the public information officer and communications division supervisor for the Nashua Police Department.

“Officers viewed video footage from the business, which showed a male breaking into the dealership, stealing a set of keys, and driving away with a car,” he said. “The suspect returned to the business a short time later, left the original car he stole at the business, and then stole a different car.”

On March 23, New Hampshire State Police stopped Blankenship while he was driving the stolen car, Cinelli said. Nashua detectives worked on the case, including interviewing Blankenship, according to a report. A warrant was then issued for his arrest.

Blankenship was held on $250 cash bail and arraigned in Nashua District Court on June 23.

Editor's note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Nashua Police Department and does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the process for requesting the removal of a name from New Hampshire Patch police reports.

According to superior court records, Blankenship has a criminal history dating back more than two decades.

In October 2004, Blankenship was accused of criminal liability for the conduct of another and willful concealment in Concord. The conduct charge was dismissed in December 2004, while the concealment charge was nolle prossed in March 2005.

In Franklin in August 2007, Blankenship was accused of simple assault and reckless conduct. He pleaded guilty to the assault charge in October 2008, while the felony charge was nolle prossed just before trial.

Blankenship was accused of two theft charges in Bow in January 2014. In Gilford, 11 months later, he was accused of burglary and resisting arrest. Blankenship was accused of witness tampering in Belmont in June 2015. He was also accused of bail jumping in Laconia in July 2015. Blankenship pleaded guilty to the burglary, resisting, and bail jumping charges in August 2015. He received two one-to-three-year sentences, one suspended, and a 12-month sentence, served concurrently, with 32 days of time served. In November 2015, he pleaded guilty to one of the theft charges and received a 12-month sentence, suspended for six months. In April 2016, he pleaded guilty to the tampering charge, and received a three-and-a-half-to-seven-year sentence, suspended for seven years, pending good behavior.

But in September 2019, Blankenship was accused of possession of a controlled drug and delivery weapon, contraband, etc., charges in Manchester. He pleaded guilty to the possession charge and received a 12-month sentence and $620 fine, both suspended for two years, while the contraband charge was dropped in January 2020.

Eight months later, he was charged again with drug possession in Manchester, but the charge was nolle prossed in February 2021.

Blankenship was charged with felon in possession of a dangerous weapon in Manchester in March 2021 and pleaded guilty to the charge four months later, received a 12-month sentence, suspended for three years. He was also charged with conduct after an accident, criminal threatening, reckless conduct, and felon in possession of a dangerous weapon in Manchester based on cases from March and August of 2021. In April 2022, Blankenship reached a plea deal on the criminal threatening and reckless conduct charges, receiving two two-to-four-year sentences, both suspended for three years.

Anyone with further information regarding this case was asked to call the Nashua Police Department Crime Line at 603-589-1665.

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