Police Log: Boat Adrift, Bank Robber Arrested

Tuesday, Feb. 19

10:15 a.m. – A Peirce Street resident complained to police about an unregistered car parked on a neighboring property, creating an eyesore. He asked police to investigate. Police did check into the vehicle on Thursday, Feb. 21, confirming it was not registered. The car’s owner was not home. Police forwarded the report to the town’s zoning official.

Wednesday, Feb 20

5:14 p.m. – A Crystal Drive resident reported jewelry missing from the master bedroom in his house. He said a college class ring was missing, along with a gold ring, a gold charm bracelet, and two other gold bracelets.

8:55 p.m. – EG Police assisted North Kingstown Police in making the arrest of a suspect in a bank robbery earlier in the day at Bank Newport in NK. They met NK Police at the Cumberland Farms on Post Road in East Greenwich after confirming the identity of the suspect from video footage recovered from the bank. The suspect, Thomas Shellman, was already wanted on an outstanding warrant and was working at the convenience store. He was arrested at the store without incident. In addition to $244 in cash, Shellman had a small bag of unused insulin needles on his person. The money seized by police matched the serial number some of the money given to the suspect at the bank.

Thursday, Feb. 21

12 p.m. – Police got a report of a sailboat adrift in Greenwich Cove. The boat was in front of the East Greenwich Yacht Club. Police contacted Harbormaster Jim Cullen, who managed to track down the girlfriend of the boat’s owner. She explained the owner was out at sea and wouldn’t be back for a week, but said she’d try to find someone to tow the boat.

12:36 p.m. – Police arrested Joshua Thibodeau, 22, of Atwood Avenue in Johnston, on three bench warrants, obstructing police, resisting arrest and violating a No Contact order after receiving a tip he was walking on Post Road nearby Felicia’s. He was walking with the woman against whom the No Contact order was written. Thibodeau gave police a false name and trying pulling away from police when they took him into custody. He body-checked one of the officers, according to the report, and got away. The other officer on the scene chased Thibodeau across all four lanes of Post Road to the parking lot behind Mozzarella’s. There a third officer took up the chase and managed to tackle Thibodeau, yet he continued to resist. Police used pepper spray in Thibodeau’s face and they were finally able to get him into handcuffs. While in a cell at the police station, Thibodeau complained of difficulty breathing. He was taken by rescue to the hospital to be checked out and arraigned in District Court Friday morning. He faces a felony charge on the No Contact violation. Bail was set at $5,000 with surety on the new charges.