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Posted by: DeputyFife

Published: 09/06/2007
Mailbox-vandalism spree gets four called out on strikes

Jim Patten/Staff photo - Four people from Peabody and Salem were arrested and charged with damaging at least 35 mailboxes in North Andover early yesterday morning. Here, North Andover police Lt. Paul Gallagher holds the bat police believe was used in the vandalism. It was found in the car the four were riding in.
By Jim Patten and Courtney Paquette
Staff Writers



Three Peabody residents and a Salem man are caught in a pickle as they face charges of driving around North Andover and playing "mailbox baseball."

The Peabody vandalism suspects arrested yesterday include the car's driver, Briana Norwood, 18, of 17 Carlton St., and passengers Michael Conley, 23, of 202 Hancock St. and Tricia Panek, 19, of 68 Bartholomew St. Also arrested was David Conley, 17, of 38 Beaver St., Salem. All were charged with malicious damage to property over $250.
Police said about three dozen mailboxes were hit along North Andover's Forest Street and Sharpners Pond Road early yesterday morning.
The quartet's alleged vandalism is known as mailbox baseball because it involves at least one of the culprits hanging out of a moving car and smashing mailboxes they pass with a baseball bat. The activity typically occurs at night, and, as a result, few such vandals have ever been charged, police said.
But North Andover Detective Lt. Paul Gallagher said police caught a break when a Forest Street resident heard what sounded like mailboxes being smashed about 3:26 a.m. and saw a car pulling away from the front of her home. She called police and said the car was headed toward the center of town.
Officers Joseph Kamal and Ron Reid were in the area, Gallagher said. Reid caught up to the 2000 Toyota Camry and pulled it over.
When Reid approached the car, he spotted a silver aluminum baseball bat on the floor in the back seat on the passenger side, police said.
Police also found two partially empty 40-ounce bottles of beer and an open bottle of Goldschlager liquor in the car, police said. Norwood, Panek and David Conley were charged with being minors in possession of alcoholic beverages. Norwood also was charged with being a minor transporting alcoholic beverages. At their arraignment in Lawrence District Court yesterday afternoon, not guilty pleas were entered on their behalf.
Judge Thomas Brennan agreed to allow David Conley, Norwood and Panek to go free without bail but ordered them to observe a 10 p.m. curfew with exceptions for employment. He ordered them to stay away from alcohol and the victims in the case.
The three were given the 60-day bail warning that if they are arrested again while their case was pending, they could be held in jail without bail for up to 60 days.
Michael Conley was ordered held on $2,500 cash bail at the request of Assistant District Attorney Greg Johnson. He said Conley was the only adult in the car when the vandalism was committed and that he had a lengthy criminal record, which included defaulting on court appearances.

"He has done committed time in the past and is looking at some harsher penalties," Johnson told the court.
But James Klotz, lawyer for Michael Conley, argued for low or no bail for him, saying he lives with his father and his mother is deceased. Klotz acknowledged a court default in 2005 but said of Conley, "Since then, he has been to court every single time."
Brennan ordered the same conditions as the arrested teenagers be set for Michael Conley should he post bail.
The four were ordered to return to court on Oct. 2. That may afford some comfort to one Forest Street resident who woke up to a damaged mailbox.
"Enough is enough," said MaryAnn Biondi, adding that her husband, Mark, had managed to piece their mailbox back together with a bungee cord so that they could get their mail.
It's the third mailbox Biondi and her husband, Mark, have had to replace in seven years at their home.
"They should have to pay for the mailboxes, then come and install them for all the people," she said.

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