...Here is what not to do!
BRAINTREE -- It looked like an unmarked state police cruiser -- a flashing strobelight bar in the back window and headlights alternating on and off. But it was the unfamiliar license plate on the gray sedan that caught the state trooper's attention.
And now, state police have two Lawrence men under arrest and a fake unmarked cruiser impounded, complete with a "hide" which secretly stored weapons, fake police badges, and handcuffs. A duffle bag contained $123,000 in cash.
"We're not sure if they had just finished a drug deal, or just ripped off a drug deal," said state Trooper Mark Lombardi, the officer who spotted the phony cruiser yesterday.
Lombardi was assisting a motorist on the northbound side of Interstate 93 at 2 p.m. when the flashing wig-wags (alternately flashing headlights) and strobelights of the sedan driving by caught his eye.
Unfamiliar with the car's license plate, he radioed ahead to Trooper Larry Kiely, who pulled the car over. A second vehicle -- which police believe was travelling with the phony cruiser -- was also stopped.
Inside the cruiser's secret compartment, police found two loaded semi-automatic handguns, two hunting knives, four fake police badges on chains, four sets of cuffs and two black-knit ski masks, police said. The $123,000 was found in a duffle bag in the trunk of one of the two cars pulled over, but police wouldn't specify which car.
Police would also not say which men were in the unmarked cruiser and which were in the second car. Arrested were:
Jose M. Castillo, 37, of Lawrence, charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with obliterated serial numbers. There were also warrants for his arrest on a misdemeanor motor vehicle charge and gun and drug violations, state police said.
Juan A. Gomes, 22, of Lawrence, charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with obliterated serial numbers.
Henry Peralta, 22, of Bronx, N.Y., charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with obliterated serial number, driving after suspension of his license, two counts of alternating flashing lights.
Victor A. Samboy, alias Hector Nieves Rodriguez, 24, of Boston, charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with obliterated serial numbers, and fraudulently obtaining a drivers license.
Both cars were taken to the Milton barracks for a search. Lombardi said a drug-sniffing dog reacted strongly to the money.
BRAINTREE -- It looked like an unmarked state police cruiser -- a flashing strobelight bar in the back window and headlights alternating on and off. But it was the unfamiliar license plate on the gray sedan that caught the state trooper's attention.
And now, state police have two Lawrence men under arrest and a fake unmarked cruiser impounded, complete with a "hide" which secretly stored weapons, fake police badges, and handcuffs. A duffle bag contained $123,000 in cash.
"We're not sure if they had just finished a drug deal, or just ripped off a drug deal," said state Trooper Mark Lombardi, the officer who spotted the phony cruiser yesterday.
Lombardi was assisting a motorist on the northbound side of Interstate 93 at 2 p.m. when the flashing wig-wags (alternately flashing headlights) and strobelights of the sedan driving by caught his eye.
Unfamiliar with the car's license plate, he radioed ahead to Trooper Larry Kiely, who pulled the car over. A second vehicle -- which police believe was travelling with the phony cruiser -- was also stopped.
Inside the cruiser's secret compartment, police found two loaded semi-automatic handguns, two hunting knives, four fake police badges on chains, four sets of cuffs and two black-knit ski masks, police said. The $123,000 was found in a duffle bag in the trunk of one of the two cars pulled over, but police wouldn't specify which car.
Police would also not say which men were in the unmarked cruiser and which were in the second car. Arrested were:
Jose M. Castillo, 37, of Lawrence, charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with obliterated serial numbers. There were also warrants for his arrest on a misdemeanor motor vehicle charge and gun and drug violations, state police said.
Juan A. Gomes, 22, of Lawrence, charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with obliterated serial numbers.
Henry Peralta, 22, of Bronx, N.Y., charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with obliterated serial number, driving after suspension of his license, two counts of alternating flashing lights.
Victor A. Samboy, alias Hector Nieves Rodriguez, 24, of Boston, charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with obliterated serial numbers, and fraudulently obtaining a drivers license.
Both cars were taken to the Milton barracks for a search. Lombardi said a drug-sniffing dog reacted strongly to the money.
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