Newport Police Nab Thief on Easton's Beach

Following weeks of complaints of larcenies off of Easton's Beach, Newport Police arrested a 32-year-old Worcester, MA woman during an undercover operation on Monday. 

Leanne Hubbard, 32, of 8 Village St. Apt. 3, Worcester, MA, charged with larceny of less than $1,500 on Monday, July 15 at 7 p.m. Plain-clothes police officers arrested Hubbard on the misdemeanor charge after she allegedly stole a beach towel and backpack containing a camera, Iphone, wallet and other valuable items off of the Memorial Boulevard beach on Monday afternoon. Police planted the backpack on the beach at 3:40 that day in an undercover operation to bait would-be thieves. In the past several weeks, Newport Police have received numerous reports of larcenies from the beach while patrons are either in the water or away from their towels.

Two officers placed the towel and dummy backpack containing valuables between lifeguard towers 5 and 6 and stationed themselves on Easton's Beach second floor deck adjacent to the carousel to observe. At about 6:20 p.m. police watched three adults - two men and a woman - and a small child walking east on the beach. The woman, who was later identified as Hubbard, walked away from the group, headed toward the towel and casually grabbed the items, police said. Police then confronted the individuals near the playground.

"It was me they had nothing to do with it," Hubbard reportedly told police as officers approached the group.

During ensuing questioning Hubbard changed her story, telling police she was picking up the items with the intention of returning them to the beach's lost and found.

During a subsequent interview with police, Hubbard allegedly admitted to stealing the bag and told officers she intended to keep the items for herself.

Hubbard will be arraigned in Second Division District Court on July 17 at 9 a.m.